i LIBRARY OF CONGkHSS. # 



f ^^y..BS/4^3J 




■' ■ ■ ■ # 



I UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. { 



VALUABLE WORKS 

PUBLISHED AND FOR SALE 

BY 

JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY, 

Booksellers, Importers, and Publishers, 

NO. 134 WASHINGTON, OPPOSITE SCHOOL ST. BOSTON. 
PUBLISHED ANNUALLY. No. 1. 



Livermore's Commentary. The Four Gospels ; with 
a Commentary, intended for Sabbath School Teachers 
and Bible Classes, and as an Aid to Family Instruction. 
By A. A. Livermore. St. Ed. 2 V^ols. containing Mat- 
thew^, Mark, Luke, and John. 12mo. 350 pp. each. 

* In a field of criticism, where sectarianism has spoiled nearly every 
tree and flower, this new product of a generous soil deserves our notice 
as the nearest approach to an unsectarian work. We feel certain it 
will meet the wants of all who call themselves liberal Christians, as 
a family expositor, a reference book in the study of the Gospel, a 
companion in the Sunday School, and an aid to daily devotion. It is 
learned, yet not dry; rational, yet not cold: fervent, yet not fanatical; 
tasteful, yet not one line for mere taste. Mr. Livermore is concise, 
practical, reasonable, full of generous and holy feeling. His first 
volume having met in a few months with so extensive a sale as to 
authorize a stereotype edition, we commend its simplicity, earnest- 
ness, purity of morals, and practical piety, to a popularity like that 
which has already rewarded the like labors of Mr. Barnes.' — Himfs 
Merchants^ Magazine and Commercial Review. 

Livermore's Commentary on the Book of the 
Acts of the Apostles. 

1 



Z JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY S PUBLICATIONS. 

Norton on the Trinity. A Statement of Reasons 
for Not Believing the Doctrines of Trinitarians, con- 
cerning the Natnre of God, and the Person of Clnist. 
By Andi-ews Norton. 12nio. pp. 372. 

' As a critic and theologian, Mr. Norton has long ranked in the very 
first class. But the present treatise will not need the aid of his high 
reputation to give it weight and influence. Those who know any- 
thing of him or his writing will readily credit us when we say, that 
it exhibits a rare union of good sense, choice learning, discrimination, 
and sound logic, which will place it among our standard works in 
theology. 

' Mr. Norton writes for intelligent men, for those who do not shrink 
from examination and patient thought, who are not disgusted at being 
required to exercise a manly independence, w^ho seek truth for truth's 
sake, and are willing to pay the price of its attainment. Such will 
find in the work before us ample materials for study and reflection. 
We are much mistaken, if to many of them it do not open new 
views.' — Christian Examiner. 

Norton's Genuineness. The Evidences of the Gen- 
uineness of the Gospels. By Andrews Norton. 3 
vols. 8vo. 

Noyes's Hebrew Prophets. A New Translation of 
the Hebrew Prophets, arranged in Chronological Or- 
der. 3 vols. 12mo. Each volume comprising about 
pp. 300. New Edition w^ith additions. 

* We conceive that Mr. No^^es has made the Christian public much 
his debtor by the portion now before us of a version of that difficult 
and strongly interesting part of Scripture, the Hebrew prophecies. 
Three things are especially to be spoken of to his praise ; his learning, 
his cautious and sound judgment, and his beautiful taste. =^ =^ # 

* We conclude with expressing our firm persuasion, that the great 
importance of these works wdll not fail to be permanently and in- 
creasingly estimated. It is not to the credit of our countrymen, if 
their author is not already reaping some benefit from them, additional 
to his own consciousness, and their acknowledgment, of his having 
devoted high powers to a high object.' — Christian Examiner, 

* This new edition is of increased value on account of the additions 
and corrections which it contains. The whole series of volumes, 
from the pen of this accomplished Hebrew scholar, may now be ob- 
tained in a uniform shape, and is of great value, and of high impor- 
tance to all students of the Bible. Common readers will be surprised 
to observe how many passages, which are unintelligible to them in 
the common version, are here made plain and significant by a slight 
change of expression, of the meaning of a single word, or the turn of 
a sentence. We should advise all who wish to procure a set of these 
translations to make haste to obtain one ; it is a purchase which they 
will never regret.' — Christian Register. 



JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY S PUBLICATIONS. 6 

Noyes's Psalms. A New Translation of the Book of 
Psalms, with an Introduction. By Geroge E.. Noyes. 
12mo. Li press. 

Noyes's Job. An Amended Version of the Book of 
Job, with an Introduction and Notes, chiefly Explana- 
tory. By George R. Noyes. Second Edition, revised 
and corrected. 12mo. 

' No translation has appeared in England, since that of Isaiah by 
Lowth, which can sustain a comparison with that of the Book of Job, 
by Mr. Noyes. With some slight exceptions, this latter is very much 
what we could wish it to be.' — Spirit of the PUgriins. 

' We have not seen any translation of the Book of Job with which 
the pubHc ought to be satisfied, unless it be that which is the subject 
of the present review. Mr. Noyes's version is, in our opinion, by far 
the best translation of Job we have seen in the English language. 
Almost every page bears testimony to his acuteness and patient in- 
dustry, to his habitual caution and accuracy, to his fine powers of 
discrimination, and to his excellent skill and good taste. He has con- 
centrated upon the sacred page the most approved lights of ancient 
and modern learning 5 yet he has done it, not, as has been the case 
with many, to add new brightness to the original, but to illustrate 
what had been made obscure, and to present to view, in its true pro- 
portions, what had become distorted through the fault of imperfect 
versions. 

' The notes at the end of the volume have been examined by us 
with care, and we cannot withhold the tribute of our high commen- 
dation, not only for the evidence they give of extensive research, and 
great discrimination, but for their invariable pertinency, and the per- 
fectly unostentatious manner in which they are composed. Indeed, 
we know not w^here we could find collected, in so narrow compass, 
with so much judgment, and with so little parade, the results of the 
inquiries of so many distinguished biblical scholars.' — Christian Ex- 



Friendly Letters to a Universalist, on Divine 
Rewards and Punishments. By Bernard Whitman. 
]6mo. pp. 368. 

* Though this work was hastily written^ the materials for it were 
collected with good care and fidelity. It is a thorough work. It 
covers the whole ground of Universalist argument ; and gives a faith- 
ful expose of the opposing testimony of reason and Scripture. The 
work can hardly exasperate those against whose creed it is aimed \ 
for a spirit of courtesy and kindness pervades it. Nor can one, who 
already believes in a righteous retribution, fail to have his faith 
strengthened by so able a defence of that doctrine.' — American Monthly 
Review. 



4 JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY S PUBLICATIONS. 

Palfrey's Academical Lectures. Academical Lec- 
tures on the JcAvish Scriptures and Antiquities. By 
John Gorham Palfrey, D. D., LL. D. Vol. I The 
Last Four Books of the Pentateuch. Vol. II. Genesis 
and Prophets. 8vo. 

* The first volume of this valuable, learned, and elaborate work has 
just publicly appeared in a truly beautiful form. It is not a book to 
be lightly read or lightly spoken of 

' We can only say that, from the time of its announcement as being 
in preparation, general expectation has been highly raised in regard 
to it, and that, as far as we have examined the present volume, or 
heard the opinions of those who are more competent to pass judg- 
ment upon its merits, we are happy to believe that it constitutes a 
noble addition to the many high claims of its distinguished author to 
public esteem and honor, as a scholar, a divine, and a devoted sup- 
porter of American Literature.' — N. A. Review. 

Palfrey's Lowell Lectures. Lowell Lectures on 
the Evidences of Christianity. By John Gorham Pal- 
frey. With a discourse on the Life and Character of 
John Lowell, Jr. By Edward Everett. 2 vols. Svo. 

Palfrey's Sermons. Sermons on Duties belonging to 
some of the Conditions and Relations of Private Life. 
By John G. Palfrey, D. D., Professor of Biblical Litera- 
ture in the University of Cambridge. 12mo. 

* These discourses of Professor Palfrey are entitled to an honorable 
place with those of Barrow, Tillotson, Seeker, and Cappe. And they 
have the superior advantage of presenting within the limits of a single 
volume — of no ordinary typographical beauty — a natural and syste- 
matic arrangement of most of the private social duties. For our- 
selves, we have perused them with satisfaction and thankfulness to 
the author.' — Christian Exainincr. 

Worcester's Last Thoughts, on Important Subjects. 
In three parts. I. Man's Liability to Sin. II. Supple- 
mentary Illustrations. III. Man's Capacity to Obev. 
By Noah Worcester, D. D. IGmo. pp. 328. 

' It is the rare merit of the writer's mind, that, although always 
moving onward in his investigations, he moves so cautiously, and with 
such reverence for the truth, and such distrust of himself, that his 
' Last Thoughts'' on every subject are invariably his best.' 

FoUen's Works. The Works of Charles Pollen ; with 
a Memoir of his Life. 5 vols. 12mo. 



JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY S PUBLICATIONS. O 

Greenwood's Chapel Liturgy. A Liturgy for the 
use of the Church at Kmg's Chapel m Boston ; col- 
lected principally from the Book of Common Prayer. 
Fifth Edition ; with Family Prayers and Sei-vices, and 
other additions. By F. W. P. Greenwood, 12mo. 

Greenwood's Lives of the Apostles. Lives of the 
twelves Apostles, to which is prefixed a Life of John 
the Baptist. By F. W. P. Greenwood. Second Edition. 
16mo. With plates. 

Greenwood's Sermons. Sermons to Children. By 
F. W. P. Greenwood, D. D., Mnister of King's Chapel, 
Boston. 1 vol. 16mo. 

* A work of this sort doubtless requires some peculiar gifts of the 
heart, as well as of intellect ; and we wish, that when it is under- 
taken from the pulpit, it might be with any good measure of the 
felicity and skill with which Dr. Greenwood has in these beautiful 
sermons accomplished it. We have read them with great pleasure, 
and what is more to the puipose, — since for such they were written, 
— we have found little children who have read them with pleasure 
too. hi the judicious selection of the topics, in the crystal clearness 
of the style, in the simplicity and beauty of the thoughts, and the 
tone of seriousness and unfeigned love pervading the whole, they 
furnish a model for such addresses to the pulpit. We can commend 
the volume to parents, that they may obtain it for their children, and 
to children, that they may read it for themselves, — engaging at the 
same time that they shall not find it ' hard reading,' ' — Monthly 
Miscellani/. 

' We are delighted to meet with a volume for children in. some other 
form than a story. We believe these Sermons will be read with as 
much interest as any of the little novels with which the press teems, 
and with more profit.' — Christian Examiner. 

Sermons on Consolation. By F. W, P. Greenwood, 
D. D., Minister of King's Chapel, Boston. Second 
Edition. 1 vol. 16mo. 

The Last Days of the Savior, or History of the 
Lord's Passion. From the German of Olshausen. 
Translated by Rev. S. Osgood. 12mo. 

Sketch of the Reformation. By Bev. T. B. Fox, 

' This volume contains a short but clear narrative of the lives and 
labors of Luther, Tetzel. Melancthon. Zwingle, and others. 
1# 



6 JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY S PUBLICATIONS. 

Channing's Works. The Works of William E. Chan- 
iiiiig, D. D. First complete American edition, with an 
Introduction. 6 vols. 12mo. Five Dollars. 

D^^* This edition of the woi-ks was published under the author's 
own supervision. 

Channing's Self-Culture. Self-Culture. By W. E. 
Channing. With a Biographical Sketch of the author, 
16mo. cloth, gilt Price 37 1-2 cents. 

' It should be the pocket companion of every young man in the 
country, and to be found on every lady's centre table-' — Cultivator. 

^ It is indeed a gem of English composition, of sound, vigorous 
thought and pure wisdom.' — Mobile Register. 

' Few tracts have exerted a more wide and salutary influence than 
Dr, Channing's lecture on Self- Culture. It is a powerful statement 
of encouraging truths set forth in that clear, harmonious and impress- 
ive style for which its lamented author was distinguished. We are 
happy to see it republished in so neat a manner^ now that death has 
consecrated the eloquent lessons it conveys. The humblest votary of 
improvement will derive consolation and guidance from its pages.' — 
Boston Miscellany. 

Practical Ethics. Human Life, or Practical Ethics. 
From the German of De Wette. Translated by Samuel 
Osgood. 2 vols. 12mo. 

' These lectures have long enjoyed a high reputation in Germany, 
and other parts of Europe, and we hail with unfeigned pleasure their 
publication in this country. They are eminently original, profound 
and suggestive.' — New World. 

^ Those interested in the study of ethics, will find in the present 
volumes, a beautiful richness of illustration, and an extended con- 
sideration of the practical duties of life ; and although many readers 
will doubtless dissent from some of the authors principles, as from 
his application of them, the book merits a reading, as exhibiting the 
views of a philosophical and independent mind, and, at the same time, 
those which prevail to a great extent on the continent of Europe.' — 
American Eclectic. 

Buckminster's Works. The Works of Joseph Ste- 
vens Buckminster ; with Memoirs of his Life. In two 
vols. 12mo. 

* One of the first religious books we remember to have read was 
the first volume of Buckminster's Sermons; and the beautifully 
written life and two or three of the discourses fixed themselves in the 
mind, as nothing is fixed there save in our early years. 

' His sermons, as serm.ons, are certainly surpassed by none in the 
language.' — Monthly Miscellany. 



JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY S PUBLICATIONS. 7 

De Wette on the Old Testament. A Critical and 
Historical Introduction to the Canonical Scriptures of 
the Old Testament. From the German of De AVette. 
Translated and enlarged bv Theodore Parker. 2 vols. 
8yo. 

Parker's Miscellaneous Writings. The Critical 
and Miscellaneous AVritings of Theodore Parker, Min- 
ister of the Second Church in Pvoxbury. 

Contents. A Lesson for the Day; German Literature : The Life 
of St. Bernard of Clairvaux : Truth against the World ; Thoughts on 
Labor; A Discourse of the Transient and Permanent in Christianity; 
The Pharisees ; On the Education of the Laboring Class : How to 
move the World : Primitive Christianity ; Strauss's Life of Jesus ; 
Thoughts on Theology. — 

' We are glad to see these miscellanies republished, and think all 
who read them will enjoy their spirit even when they disagree with 
their doctrines. The tone of earnest conviction, the glow of feeling, 
the occasional beauty of expression in these pages, is very refreshing.' 
— Merchants^ Magazine. 

' The essays are written in a style w^hich combines the plainness of 
CoBBETT with just the slightest sprinkling of modern literary Euphu- 
ism ; a combination less unattractive than might at the first blush be 
inferred from such a coalition.' — Knickerbocker, 

Parker's Discourses. A Discom-se on Matters per- 
taining to Religion. By Theodore Parker, IVIinister of 
the Second Church in E-oxbury. 

Farr's Counsels and Consolations: Containing 
Meditations and Reflections on sixty- two passages of 
Scripture, with particular reference to those in trouble 
and affliction ; to which are added four sermons, suited 
to persons in distressing and mournful circumstances. 
By Jonathan Farr. Second Edition. Enlarged by 
several Prayers, and an Address to those who have 
been afflicted. 1 vol. 18mo. 

* This volume is eminently a work of compassion, it is medicine, 
food, and air for the afflicted lonely ones. That medicine is com- 
pounded of ingredients gathered in the garden of the Lord ; that food 
is the bread which came down from heaven ; that air is the zephyry 
odor, which comes from the paradise of God. Let the mentally 
debilitated take, eat, breathe, and revive.' — London Christian Pioneer, 



8 JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY'S PUBLICATIONS. 

An Offering of Sympathy to the Afflicted: Es- 

pecially to Parents bereaved of their Children. Being 
a collection from Manuscripts never before published. 
With an Appendix of Extracts. By Francis Parkman* 
Third Edition. 18mo. 

' Though small, it is rich in comfort and instruction. Prepared by 
the editor in a season of peculiar personal affliction, it contains many 
of his own thoughts, with the judicious selections which he made 
from books from which he drew consolation, besides the original 
articles which at his request were furnished by his brethren in the 
ministry. In the present edition not only is the Appendix — of Ex- 
tracts — enlarged, but an original article is given not found in the 
former editions.' — Monthly Miscellany. 

' We are not suiprised that Dr. Parkman's excellent little volume 
has reached a third edition. It has carried comfort to many a heart. 
We wish it well on its errand of peace.' — Christian Examine!'. 

' A volume deserving a cordial welcome to every house and heart 
The variety of thought and expression, and yet the perfect harmony 
of tone of feeling which marks this spiritual wreath for a christian 
cemetery, will make it live and bloom as long as sorrow is known.' — 
Hunfs Magazine. 

The Holy Land and its Inhabitants. By S. G. 

Bulfinch. Being a description of this interesting coun- 
tr}s and also a History of it, Ancient and Modern, its 
Antiquities, &c. &c. 

Lives of Eminent Unitarians; with a Notice of 
Dissenting Academies, containing Lives of Robertson, 
Palmer, Priestley, Price, and others. By the Be v. W. 
Turner, Jan., M. A. 2 vols. 12mo. 

Henry Ware, Jr. Views of Christian Truth, Piety, 
and Morality, selected from the Writings of Dr. Priest- 
ley. With a Memoir of his Life. By Henry Ware, 
Jr. 12mo. pp. 288. 

' Mr. Ware has here erected a noble and enduring monument of the 
pure and truly Christian character of one of the most gifted and single- 
hearted of Christian confessors. The Memoir, compiled for the most 
part from Dr. Priestley's own letters, and other writings, and drawn 
up wdth care, is interesting throughout, and full of instruction. The 
same may also be said of the selection of sermons, and other pieces 
which make up the body of the work ; for they are almost exclusively 
practical, and present ' views of Christian truth, piety, and morality, 
remarkable for their good sense, strictness, and discrimination." — 
Christian Examiner. 



JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY'S PUBLICATIONS. 9 

Ware on Christian Character. On the Formation 
of Christian Character, addressed to those who are 
seeking to lead a Rehgious Life. By Henry Ware, 
Jr., D. D. Twelfth Edition. 18mo. 

Henry Ware, Jr.'s Hints on Extemporaneous 
Preaching", with mles for its government. Third 
Edition. 

* It is the object of this little work to draw the attention of those 
who are preparing for the Christian ministry, or who have just 
entered it, to a mode of preaching, which the Vv'riter thinks has been 
too much discountenanced and despised : but which under proper 
restrictions, he is persuaded may add greatly to the opportunities of 
ministerial usefulness.' — The Preface. 

Ware's Life of the Savior. The Life of the Savior. 
By Henry Ware, Jr., Professor of Pnlpit Eloqnence 
and the Pastoral Care in Harvard University, pp. 284. 
Fonrth Edition. 18mo. 

* If we can suppose any person to be a stranger to the Gospel his- 
torians, in a Christian land, we think Professor Ware's narrative with 
its illustrations would be to such a person a work of unequalled in- 
terest in biography, provided he possessed a common share of moral 
sensibility. To one somewhat acquainted with those histories, perused, 
as they usually are, under great disadvantages in our common ver- 
sion, in small, detached portions, and without any helps, this ' Life of 
the Savior ' affords assistance, in various ways, at once in a more 
popular and a more intelligible form than can elsewhere be found, so 
far as we know. This volume is intended particularly for the young : 
but it is a valuable aid to every reader of the Gospels : an aid to the 
understanding of them, and an aid to reflections upon their truths. It 
unites, in some good measure, the advantages of a paraphrase and a 
commentary, without the feebleness of the former, or the dryness of 
the latter.' — American Monthly Review. 

Henry Ware, Jr's. Scenes and Characters, nins- 
trating Christian Truth. In a series of Tales, each 
number complete in itself. To be had separately- 
Edited by the Rev. H. Ware, Jr. 

* If we may judge of this series of little works from the two numbers 
which have appeared, we should say that it bids fair to be eminently 
useful, and to realize whatever we might expect from the high 
character of the writers engaged. They should be read. Whoever 
contributes at all to circulate them does good to the public' — Boston 
^aily Advertiser, 



10 JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY'S PUBLICATIONS. 

1. TRIAL AND SEIF-DISCIPLEVE. By Miss Savage, Author of • James 
Talbot; 

* If the remaining numbers shall be executed with the same skill, 
and the same deep religious feelings which pervade the first, these 
little volumes will be an important addition to the works which make 
religion attractive and lovely.' — Christian Register. 

I. THE SKEPTIC. By Mrs. FoUen, Author of < The Well-spent Hour.' 

' This is an admirable little book, which no one will dip into without 
reading through, and no one will read through without being improved 
and delighted. The argumentativ^e portions are clear and forcible, and 
are naturally and skillfully interwoven v/ith the web of the story. 
The characters are conceived and sustained wonderfully well, and 
never were the Christian graces more beautifully and consistently 
displayed than in the life and conversation of Alice Grey. We owe a 
debt of gratitude to the writer who gives us so natural and true a pic- 
ture of the influence of Christianity upon our daily and hourly duties, 
and of the mighty power which it bestows upon the character and 
affections.' — Boston Observer. 

8. HOME. By Miss Sedgwick, Author of ' Redwood," &c. 

' The influence of an enlightened mind and pure heart is shed, like 
sunshine, over all that JVIiss Sedgwick writes.' — Mrs. Child. 

' One of the sweetest homely pictures of domestic life among the 
middle classes of New England, which it is possible to imagine, and 
one full of the instruction which makes a way to the heart.' — Taifs 
Magazine. 

4. GLEAMS OF TRUTH. By tlie Rev. Joseph Tuckerman, D. D. 

' This little work differs from its predecessors in being not a ficti- 
tious and connected narrative, but a collection of detached facts, 
anecdotes, and conversations, which actually occurred within the 
writer's own experience. This difference, while it adds to its value, 

will not make it less interesting, but the contrary Truth 

is strange, and stranger than fiction, and the most creative imagina- 
tion could not have conceived more striking and consistent illustra- 
tions of Christian character than are here presented to us to admire 

and imitate Nothing can be more elevating, inspiring, and 

encouraging, than the instances which he has here given \\s.^— Boston 
Observer. 

k THE BACKSLIDER. By the Author of the ' Hugenots,' &c. 

' The Blackslider is intended to illustrate the influence of Chris- 
tianity on minds differently constituted, particularly on the two prin- 
cipal characters of the story. In Anna Hope, we see its effects on a 
mind naturally well balanced. In Walter we see the good seed scat- 
tered on the thin soil ; and it is the aim of the writer to show where 
the lack of root is.' ' Such fictions as the one before us, by their 
faithful and graphic representations of human nature, affect us for 
the time like reality.' — Christian Examiyier. 



JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY S PUBLICATIONS. 11 



6. ALFRED : or, the Effects of True Repentance. And the BETTER 
PART. By the Author of ' Sophia Morton.' 

Mrs. Farrar's Life of John Howard^ the Philan* 
thropist, with a Preface by Rev. Henry Ware, Jr. 

This volume gives an interesting narrative of the Life and also of 
the various undertaldngs of this eminent philanthropist ; it is w^ritten 
with all the vigor of the other works of its author. 

Memoir of Rev. Joseph Tuckerman, (Minister to 
the Poor.) By Eev. W. E. Channing. 18mo. 

JoufFroy's Ethics. Introduction to Ethics : including 
a Critical Survey of Moral Systems. Translated from 
the French of JoufFroy. By William H. Channing. 

This work consists of a critical review of rarious ethical systems ; 
aiming to give a fair view of the merits and demerits of each, with 
especial regard to the particular points wherein lay the faultiness of 
each. To every student of moral philosophy, and of the history of 
the human mind, such a sketch must he of very great interest and 
value. 

Bumap's Lectures to Young Men; on the culti- 
vation of the Mind, the formation of Character, and 
the Conduct of Life. Second Edition. By George W. 
Burnap. 1 vol. 12mo. 

* Remarkable for the intelligent spirit which they display, and the 
sound moral instructions conveyed.' — Pldla. Ledger. 

Lectures on the Sphere and Duties of Woman, 

and other subjects. By George W. Burnap. 1 vol. 
12mo. 

* The duties of Women, and especially of American females, are 
ably defined, and correctly animadverted on. We take pleasure in 
recommending it as a work that all parents should place in the hands 
of their daughters, and the husband in that of his wife.' — N. Y, Lady's 
Companion. 

' We commend the book to the attention of every female, w^hether 
young or old, and whatever station she may fill. They will find a 
true friend in the author, and cannot fail to draw improvement from 
his admonitions.' — Boston Courier. 

Lectures on the History of Christianity. By 

George W. Burnap. 1 vol. 12mo. 



12 JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY'S PUBLICATIONS. 

Memoir of James Jackson, Jr. M. D. written by 
his Father, with extracts from his Letters, and remi- 
niscences of him by a Fellow Stndent. 18mo. 

Memoir of Nathaniel Bowditch, (the Mathemati- 
cian.) ISmo. 

Dewey's Sermons. Discourses on various subjects. 
By Kev. Orville Dewey. 3 vols. 12mo. 

W. H. Furness. Jesus and his Biographers ; or the 
remarks on the Four Gospels, revised with copious 
additions. By W. H. Furness. 1 vol. 8vo. 

Ripley's Specimens of Foreign Standard Literature. 
Edited by George Ripley. 14 vols. 12mo. 

Volumes 12 and 13, containing De WETTE'S HUMAN 
LIFE. See page 6. 

Volume 14. SONGS AND BALLADS. With notes. 
Translated by Charles T. Brooks. 

The Unitarian. Conducted by Bernard Vl^hitman. 
Svo. pp. 590. 

Meditations for the Sick. By Jonathan Cole. ISmo. 

Tracts of the American Unitarian Association. 

In 15 vols. r2mo. 

Christian Disciple. 6 volumes, 8vo. 
Christian Examiner, complete to 1844. 35 vols. 

The pages of this work have been enriched by contributions from 
the pens of Worcester, Channing, Norton, Greenwood, Ware, and 
others. 

Henry Ware, D. D. An Inquhy into the Foundation, 
Evidences, and Truths of R.eligion. By Henry Ware, 
D. D., late Hollis Professor of Divinity in Harvard 
College. 2 vols. 12mo, 



JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY'S PUBLICATIONS. 13 

Theodore; or the Skeptic's Conversion. Translated 
from the German of De Wette. By James F. Clarke. 
2 vols. 12mo. 

Sparks's Essays and Tracts- A Collection of Es- 
says and Tracts in Theology. From various Authors, 
with Biographical and Critical jMotices. By Jared 
Sparks. 6 vols. r2mo. 

Unitarian Miscellany, and Christian Monitor. Edited 
by Rev. Jared Sparks, and Bev. F. W. P. Greenwood. 
6 vols. 12mo. 

The Young Maiden. By Bev. A. B. Muzzey. Fourth 
Edition. 

*It will be perused with advantage by tbe class for whom it is 
especially designed, and will secure the favorable judgment of their 
most judicious friends.' — London Inquirer. 

The Young Man's Friend. By A B. Muzzey. l8mo. 
Second Edition. 

Week Day Religion. By Rev. Bernard Whitman. 
18mo. 

Gieseler's Text Book of Ecclesiastical History. By J. 
C. I. Gieseler, Doctor of Philosophy and Theology, 
and Professor of Theology in Gottingen. Translated 
from the Third German Edition by Francis Cunning- 
ham. 3 vols. 8vo. 

Observations on the Bible, for the use of Young Per- 
sons. 12mo. 

Locke on the Epistles. A Paraphrase and Notes 
on the Epistles of St. Paul to the Galatians, First and 
Second Corinthians, Bomans, and Ephesians. To 
which is prefixed an Essay for the Understanding of 
St. Paul's Epistles, by consulting St. Paul himself By 
John Locke. 8vo. pp. 4-56. 

The Dial. Published quarterly, 16 numbers now out. 
Edited by B. W. Emerson. 
D^* A few complete sets only remaining on hand. 
2 



14 JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY'S PUBLICATIONS. 

JUST PUBXtlSHED. 

LECTURES 

ON 

CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE. 

By Andrew P, Peabody, Pastor of the South Church. 
Portsmouth. 1 vol. 12mo. 

ENDEAVORS 

AFTER THE 

CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

A Volume of Discourses by James Martineau. 12mo. 

Contents. The Spirit of Life in Jesus Christ; The Besetting 
God ; Great Principles and Small Duties ; Eden and Gethsemane ; 
Sorrow no Sin ; Christian Peace ; Religion on False Pretences ; 
Mammon Worship 5 The Kingdom of God within us, Part I ; The 
Kingdom of God within us, Part II; The Contentment of Sorrow; 
Immortality ; The Communion of Saints ; Christ's Treatment of 
Guilt; The Strength of the Lonely; Hand and Heart; Silence and 
Meditation ; Winter Worship ; The Great Year of Providence ; Christ 
and the Little Child ; The Christianity of Old Age ; Nothing Human 
ever Dies. ' — 

' These discourses form part of an extensive plan; and may be con- 
sidered not so much a separate work, as an introduction to a complete 
treatise on the Christian character and life. Their object is to awaken 
the Christian spirit^ rather than to describe the perfect Christian life ; 
and while they inculcate specific duties and warn against specific 
sins, their leading design is to excite and strengthen the devout spirit 
that will lead us always to perform all duties. 

' We recommend the volume to our readers as the production of an 
enlightened Christian mind, full of earnestness and power and love of 
souls. It was composed because the author had something to say on 
the highest subjects of human thought, because his heart overflows 
with sympathy for the ills of man, and because he has felt for himself 
the blessedness of laboring for their removal. He is an enthusiast ; 
but an intelligent one, who does not expect to remove social evils by 
the application of any fine-spun political system, but by awakening 
in each individual heart some mighty emotion, that shall lead to the 
reformation of that individual life. 

' The discourses on the Kingdom of God within us, on Great Prin- 
ciples and Small Duties, on Immortality and the Great Year of Provi- 
dence, are particularly interesting and instructive.' — Monthly Miscellany, 

LETTERS ON EPISCOPACY. By Jared Sparks. 
Second Edition, with large additions. 1 vol. 12mo. 



JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY'S PUBLICATIONS. 15 

NEW HYMN BOOK. 

The Social Hymn Book, consisting of Psalms and 
Hymns, for Social Worship and Private Devotion. 
With 28 pages music. 

* It is designed to supply the want which is believed to be increasing, 
of a small and cheap Hymn Book for vestry meetings, and for parishes 
that are unable to procure more expensive collections.' — The Preface. 

' The collection contains 360 Hymns, 14 Doxologies, 21 Sacred 
tunes. There are somev^'hat more than 130 of the Hymns which are 
not found in Dr. Greenwood's, of these a portion are found in some of 
the other collections : a part of them are truly exquisite and beautiful, 
and ought to appear in every collection. 

' The hpnns which INIr. Robbins has introduced, in general do 
credit to his taste and reading. Some of those from Bishop Mant's 
Collection of Ancient Hymns seem harsh to most readers on a first 
perusal, but familiarity renders them highly attractive and stores the 
heart with rich and beautiful sentiments.' — Christian Register. 

'In looking over this work, we are happy to recognize a number 
of our favorite hymns, the omission of which in other collections 
we have always regretted. The Book breathes the spirit of the con- 
ference room, and is at the same time well adapted, as it is in part 
intended, ' for parishes that are unable to procure more expensive col- 
lections.' ' — Salem Observer. 

* This is an admirable selection of devotional hymns, and will, 
doubtless, become a favorite one for the purposes for which it was 
designed. The collection was made by Rev. Chandler Robbins, of 
this city, whose name, alone, is a sufficient guaranty for its excel- 
lence. We hail tliis little work, as one among the signs we daily see, 
of interest in the work of enlivening the Avhole Church, and bringing 
us all into an active, visible cooperation. 

' AVe ought to say in addition, that at the close of the book are 
placed some twenty, or more, of the most beautiful and popular tunes 
used at social religious meetings.' — Christian World. 

' We welcome, with the rest, the graceful little volume before us, as 
supplying a want, which has been sensibly felt in a department of our 
social worship, and as well adapted to private and domestic devotion. 
The excellence of its typographical execution invites attention, which 
will be amply rewarded by its skillfully selected and arranged con- 
tents. 

' For infant and feeble parishes, ' unable to procure more expen- 
sive collections : ' for the meetings of the vestry and all other social 
services among Christians : for the private and domestic altar we 
cordially recommend the Selection before us. It unites the indispen- 
sable grace of a Christian spirit, by which it is pervaded, with poetic 
beauty : and so entire is its freedom from, doubtful or sectarian phrase- 
ology, that it may easily become the manual, and a favorite one too, of 
Christians of various denominations.' — Monthly Miscellany. 

[j^^ Already used in several parishes. Copies furnished to clergy 
and others, for examination. 



16 JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY'S PUBLICATIONS. 



MANUALS 

FOR ^ 

SABBATH SCHOOLS. 

Livermore's Commentary. 2 vols. See page 1, 

A Catechism of Natural Theology. By I Nichols, 
D. D., Pastor of the First Church in Portland. Third 
Edition, with additions and improvements. 12mo. 
Plates. 

* Dr. Nichols has prefixed to his work the appropriate motto, ' Every' 
house is builded by some man ; but he that built aH thing's is God : ' 
and the work is a very happy illustration of its motto. It is devoted 
principally to an examination of the human frame, and it is shown 
that the conformation of its various parts, and their adaptation to the 
purposes which they are known to serve, could not have happened 
without the design of an intelligent Creator. It is better adapted to 
the comprehension of youth and common readers, than the more 
elaborate and extended treatises of Paley and others ; and next to the 
Holy Scriptures, is one of the most interesting and useful fields of 
contemplation which could be spread out before them. If any person 
can peruse this litlle book without feeling a kindred emotion, and 
forming a similar puipose, the fact would be an affecting proof of the 
alienation of the heart from its Maker. When it is remembered that 
Atheism is among the spreading errors of our land, we see an addi- 
tional reason for directing our youth to such intellectual pursuits, as 
will furnish the best defences against this arch heresy ; and such we 
regard the contents of the work under review. We are glad that a 
new edition of the work has been demanded, and that it makes its 
appearance in a style of execution so worthy of its matter.^ — Chris^ 
tian Mirror^ Portland^ Me. 

Hints to Sunday School Teachers, in a series of 
Familiar Lectures. By Bev. T. B. Fox. ISmo. price 
25 cents. 

Allen's Questions. Parts l, 2, and 3. 18mo. 

Walker's Service Book. iSmo. 

Fox's Sunday School Prayer Book. l8mo. 

Child's Duties and Devotions. l8mo. 

The Ministry of Christ, with Questions. Bv Rev. 
T. B. Fox. ISmo. 



JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY'S PUBLICATIONS. 17 



Peabody's Sunday School Hymn Book. l8mo. 

Channing's, Worcester Association, Rhode Island, and 
Carpenter's Catechisms. 

Life of the Savior. By Hev. H. Ware, Jr. 18mo. 
See page 9 

Scripture Truths in Questions and Answers, for the 
use of Sunday Schools and Families. 18mo. pp. 75. 

' The writer of this little manual has not attempted to do better 
"U^here others have done well. Nor is this simply another Sunday 
School book — though that would be no objection. It is in facta 
new Sunday School book. It enters a province which has heretofore 
been kept shut, at least in the schools of Liberal Christians ; viz. the 
province of doctrine. ^ ^ ^ With these views we welcome this book. 
Every question that is apt to arise, concerning God, Christ, Faith, 
Ordinances, Prayer, Repentance, &c. &c., is answered by a passage of 
Scripture ; and there are very few passages that do not contain fair 
answers and sufficient exposition for the young. The controverted 
and most difficult texts are more fully explained, yet with great sim- 
plicity, in notes, and also an Appendix. In the hands of well in- 
structed and judicious teachers, no one, we think, would doubt the 
utility of such a manual. In families, to be used by parents, it is 
excellent. Indeed for general use we feel free to commend it. The 
plan and execution as a whole we like, and hope a fair trial will be 
given it.' — Monthly Miscellany. 

' We are ignorant of the name of the Author of this little book, but 
we think he has done good service to the cause of religious instruc- 
tion. We are not in favor of the multiplication of manuals for the 
use of Sunday Schools, but the arrangement and plan of this work, 
are such as to make it a valuable assistant to any parent and Sunday 
School Teacher.' — Christian Register. 

The Sunday School Guide. By A. B. Muzzey. 

18mo. 

X M. & Co. being engaged in the publication of 
Juvenile Works, can offer to individuals and others, 
selecting for Sabbath, School, and District Libraries, 
superior advantages. And they keep constantly on 
hand the largest assortment of Juveniles to be found, 
embracing all the works by Mary Howitt, Mrs. Ellis, 
Aunt Kitty, Charlotte Elizabeth, the Abbotts, and others ; 
all of which will be sold at a LARGE DISCOUNT, 
from the tmde prices. 

D;^ 3000 volumes now on hand. 
2* 



18 JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY'S PUBLICATIONS. 

MANUALS 

FOR 

DAILY DEVOTION. 

Hours for Heaven : a small but choice Selection of 
Prayers, from Eminent Divines of the Church of Eng- 
land. Intended as a Devotional Companion for Young 
Persons. 32mo. gilt edges. 

* This is a little manual of devotion, consisting of prayers and 
meditations for each day in the week, with additions of prayers for 
particular occasions. 

' To the prayers are added many miscellaneous pieces in prose and 
verse, suited for aids to devotion; and, lastly, several weighty religious 
aphorisms. 

' There are here and there forms of invocation, and single express 
sions. from which we dissent 5 hut the spirit, and, with few exceptions, 
the language, is such that we do not fear to recommend the book to 
serious Christians of all denominations.' — Christian Register. 

* A choice selection of prayers from eminent Divines which is 
designed as a devotional companion. It is an elegant little volume, 
nicely printed and bound, and its contents will be very acceptable to 
any that may read them occasionally, as designed.' — Ploughman. 

Farr's Prayers. Forms of Morning and Evening 
Prayer, composed for the use of Families. By Jona- 
than Farr. IGmo. pp. 174. 

* The ' Forms of Morning and Evening Prayer' are among the best 
that have come under our notice, — at once calm and fervent, scriptu- 
ral and rational ; for which reason we doubt not that they will find 
general favor among those who are accustomed to avail themselves of 
such helps to private or domestic devotion. The volume is very 
neatly printed and done up, and contains prayers for every day in a 
fortnight, and eight morning and evening prayers for any day in the 
week, and a great variety of occasional prayers for families, and for 
individuals.' — Christian Examiner. 

Sewell's Daily Devotions, for a Family, with occa- 
sional Prayers. Second Edition. 12mo. 

Greenwood's Chapel iiturgy ; collected principally 
from the Book of Common Prayer. Fifth Edition; 
with Family Prayers and Services, and other Addi- 
tions. ByF. W. P. Greenwood. 12mo. 



JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY'S PUBLICATIONS. 19 



Brooks's Prayers. A Family Prayer Book, and Pri- 
vate Manual ; to Avhich are added, Forms for Religious 
Societies and Schools, with a Collection of Hymns. 
By Charles Brooks, Minister of the Third Church in 
Hingham, Massachusetts. 12mo. 

* Both as to its substance and form, it is a work of an excellent 
design, and well calculated to answer its design ; and considering how 
much it is wanted among us. and how much good it may do, we are 
happy in having this opportunity to recommend it most cordially.' — 
Chnstian Disciple^ 

Bowring's Matins and Vespers; with Hymns and 
Occasional Devotional Pieces. By John Bowring. 
London. 18mo. Price 50 cents. 

' There is in them a frequent display, or rather the presence without 
the display, of a tenderness and pathos, an elegant simplicity and 
devotional feeling, which win upon the heart, and sometimes touch it 
as with strains from unearthly worlds. There is no drama, no tale, 
no controversy in these poems ; they are truly ' Matins and Vespers.' 
They charm by their modesty and sensibility, and by a deep venera- 
tion of. and an ardent expression of gratitude toward, our Almighty 
Creator, Preserver, and Benefactor. Many of the pictures in them of 
the love and compassion of God toward his creatures are truly beau- 
tiful and affecting.' — Christian Observer. Lo7idon. 

Fumess's Domestic Worship. By W. H. Furness, 
Pastor of the First Congregational Unitarian Church 
in Philadelphia. Second Edition. 12mo. 

' The prayers are divided into sections and are not specially appro 
priated to the several days of the week; that opportunity may be 
given for selection, omission, and variety.' — The Preface. 

The Social Hymn Book ; consisting of Psalms and 
Hymns for Social Worship and Private Devotion, 
Compiled by Bev. Chandler Bobbins. 18mo. 

Devotional Exercises. Compiled by J. T. Bucldng- 
ham. 18mo. Third Edition. 

* We like this little volume extremely. The plan is happy and it is 
executed wdth exceedingly good judgment and taste.' — N. A. Review. 

* This unpretending little volume is compiled froin the Book of 
Proverbs, the Book of Psalms, and the Gospels. The compiler has 
executed his task wi\h excellent judgment, and we most heartily 
recommend it.' — Salem Observer. 



20 JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY'S PUBLICATIONS. 



HISTORY 

OF THE 

HAWAIIAN OR SANDWICH ISLANDS, 

Embracing their Antiquities, Legends, Discovery by 
Europeans in the Sixteenth Centuiy, Rediscovery by 
Cook, with their Civil, Rehgious, and Pohtical Histoiy, 
from the earhest period to the present time. By 
James Jackson Jarves, Member of the Am. Oriental 
Society. With Maps and Plates. 8vo. 

' The book is carefully prepared and furnishes a highly attractive 
narrative. The ground over which the author has passed has been 
almost entirely untrod before him, and the history will be quite new, 
w^e believe, to almost all readers. It is a history full of its passages 
of romance, — for these islands have not been exempted from the 
stirring excitements of larger communities.' — Boston Daily Advertiser, 

' The work bears the marks of great attention and patient research; 
the narrative is easy, flowdng, and spirited, in a style adapted to the 
subject.' — Philadelphia Christian Observer. 

' Mr. J. has produced an excellent and permanently valuable book.* 
— Boston Recorder. 

' It supplies a deficiency in our literature, and is finished in such a 
manner that it will not have to be done again. This work wdll be a 
favorite ; it affords information not easily found elsewhere, and if 
attainable at all, only to be collected by great labor, and from a variety 
of sources.' — Baptist Memorial and Monthly Chronicle. 

N. HAWTHORNE'S TWICE TOLD TALES. 2 

vols. 12mo. Cloth. 

' A whole volume of collected Miscellanies of great merit is before 
ns. We mean Mr. Hawthorne's ' Twice Told Tales,' which will one 
day or other be naturalized into our Library of Romance, if truth, 
fancy, pathos, and originality, have any longer power to diffuse a 
reputation. He has caught the true fantastic spirit, which somewhere 
or other exists in every society, be it ever so utilitarian and practical, 
linking the seen to the unseen, the matter of fact to the imaginative. 
As a recounter of mere legends, Mr. Hawthorne claims high praise. 
We cannot too heartily commend this book as the best addition that 
has been made to what may be called the Fairy Library, which has 
been made for many years.' — London Foreign and Colonial Quarterly 
Review. 

'To this little work we would say, ' Live ever, sweet, sweet book.' 
It comes from the hand of a man of genius. Every thing about it has 
the freshness of morning and of May. A calm, thoughtful face seem3 
t^ be looking at you from every page.' — N. A. Review. 



JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY'S PUBLICATIONS. 21 



SCENES AND SCENERY 



SANDWICH ISLANDS, 

And a trip through Central America: being observa- 
tions from my Not e-book during the ^^ears 1837-1842. 
By James J. Jarves, Author of the History of the 
Sandwich Islands, &c., embellished with Map and 4 
plates. 

*Mr. Jarves has enjoyed peculiar adv^antages for acquiring an accu- 
rate knowledge of the past and present condition of this people, their 
manners and customs, and the natural features and resources of the 
islands ; and of these he has fully availed himself He seems to have 
written without fear or prejudice, desirous of doing ample justice to 
missionary effort, and exposing the more than savage outrage of for- 
eign residents and visiters, some of them high in official station, with 
fearlessness. 

' From the two works of Mr. J., a more accurate idea of the islands 
may be obtained, than from any other source. There is much liveli- 
ness in his narrative 5 and an occasional imperfection in the structure 
of a sentence, or the inexact use of a word, shows that he did not 
wriiG in fetters. In his ' Sketches.' particularly, be has manao:ed so 
to intermingle the otiensive ana tne ludicrous, me Deauniui and the 
economical, as to portray well the peculiar transition state of this 
people. Whoever would find an account of the Sandwich Islands^ 
both amusing and instructive, will not fail to read Mr, J,'s books.' — 
Christiayi Review. 

' The book before us, written by Mr. James Jackson Jarves, is illus- 
trative of the recent progress of religion, science, and refinement in 
that most interesting group — the Sandwich Islands. 

' We rarely read a book of this class from beginning to end : to the 
volume before us, however, we have paid this compliment. It con- 
tains many provincialisms, and, strange to say, a few grammatical 
errors ; yet we like the spirit in which it is written, and the vividness 
with which the author paints novel scenes in the North Pacific' — 
New World. 

SONGS AND BALLADS. 

Translated from Uhland, Korner, Biirger. and other 
German Lyric Poets, with notes. By Charles T. 
Brooks. 

' In this volume we have presented to us a string of beautiful pearls. 

' The typographical execution of the work is good, and the pub- 
lishers merit commendation. We think the volume well worthy a 
place among the selected poetry of the day.' — jlmencan Eclectic. 



22 JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY'S PUBLICATIONS. 



MISCELLANEOUS BOOKS. 

CARLYLE'S MISCELLANIES. 4 vols. 

SARTOR RESARTUS. Fourth American Edition, 
HEROES OF HISTORY. 1 vol. 
FRENCH REVOLUTION. 2 vols. 
WILHELM MEISTER. 3 vols. 
" PAST AND PRESENT. 1 vol. 

CHARTISM. 1 vol. 
" GERMAN ROMANCE: Specimens of its chief 

authors; w^ith Biographical and Critical Notices. By Thomas 
Carlyle. 2 vols. 12mo. 
ESSAYS BY R. W. EMERSON. 1 vol. 

Contents. History, Self Rehance ; Compensation; Spiritual 
Laws ; Love ; Friendship ; Prudence ; Heroism ; The Over Soul ; 
Circles ; Intellect ; Art. 
NATURE. By R. W. Emerson. 

LIFE OF CRABBE THE POET. By his Son. 12mo. 
THE HAMLETS, A TALE. By MLss Martineau. 2d Ed. ISmo. 

POLITE LITERATURE IN GERMANY. Translated by Geo. 

W. Haven. 16mo. 
COLERIDGE'S CONFESSIONS OF AN INQUIRING SPIRIT, 
AIDS TO REFLECTION. By S. T. Coleridge. 8vo. 
TUCKER'S LIGHT OF NATURE PURSUED, with a Memoir. 

4 vols. 8vo. 

GUIZOT'S ESSAY ON THE INFLUENCE AND CHARAC 

TER OF WASHINGTON. 16mo. 
GREENWOOD'S SERMONS, with a Memoir. 2 vols. 12mo. 

STEWART'S ELEMENTS OF THE HUMAN MIND. Svo. 4th 

Edition. 
CHANNING'S WORKS, Edited by the Author. 6 vols. 12mo. 
SUNDAY LIBRARY FOR YOUNG PERSONS. 4 vols. 18mo. 
HOLMES'S ANNALS OF AMERICA. 2 vols. Svo. 
HISTORY OF HARVARD UNIVERSITY. By B. Peirce. Svo. 
MARY HO WITT'S, STRIVE AND THRIVE. 
" " HOPE ON! HOPE EVER. 

". " SOWING AND REAPING. 

WHO SHALL BE GREATEST? 

TALES IN PROSE. 

TALES IN VERSE. 

TALES IN NATURAL HISTORY. . 



JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY S CATALOGUE. 



23 



STANDARD WORKS. 



Bancroft's U. S. 3 vols. 

Sparks's Life of Washington. 1 vol. 

" American Biography. 10 vols. 
Franklin's Works. 10 vols. 
Prescott's Ferdinand and Isabella. 3 v. 

'' Mexico. 3 vols. 
Burke's Works. 9 vols. 
Stephens's Central America. 2 vols. 

" Yucatan. 2 vols. 

" Arabia Petrce. 2 vols. 

" Greece, &c. 2 vols. 

Story's Writings. 1 vol. 
Shakspeare. Various Editions. 
Milton's Poetical Works. 2 vols. 

" Prose Works. 2 vols. 
Cowper's Poems. 2 vols. 
Longfellow's Poems. 3 vols. 
Encyclopedia Americana. 13 vols. 
Miss Bremer's Works. 1 vol. 



Edgeworth's 


(( 


10 vols. 


Hannah More's 


u 


2 vols. 


Sherwood's 


iC 


8 vols. 


Butler's Works. 


2 vols 




Spenser's " 


5 vols 




Channing's " 


6 vols 




Henry Ware's Works. 




Charlotte Elizabeth's Works. 



Greenwood's Works. 
Follen's " 5 vols. 

Heman's " 5 vols. 

Whittier, Tennyson, Leigh Hunt, Scott, 

Barry Cornwall, and Lowell's Poems. 
Burns's Works, 1 vol. 
Aiken's British Poets. 8vo. 
Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. 
Lamb's Complete Works. 8vo. 
Herbert's Poems and Remains. 2 vols. 
Latrobe's Scripture Illustrations. 4to. 
D'Aubigne's Reformation. 3 vols. 
Neander's Church History. 
Bible in Spain. 

Milman's History of Christianity. 
Buckminster's Works. 2 vols. 12mo- 
Life of Jean Paul Richter. 2 vols. 
Peabody's Doctrinal Discourses. 12mo. 
Allison's History of Europe. 4 vols. 

8vo. 
Carlyle's AVorks. 14 vols. 12mo, 
Poets and Poetry of America. 
Buckminster's Works. 2 vols. 
Walter Scott's Novels, Poems, and Life, 

uniform. 39 vols. 
Pale^-'s Works. 6 vols. 
Young's Old English Prose Writers. 9v, 



MRS. SIGOURNEY'S 
PIEASAIVT MEMORIES OF PLEASANT LANDS. M Ed. with additions. 

16mo. Illustrated with two beautiful Engravings. Cloth. 

' It has all the charms which characterize the works of William 
Howitt, besides its poetical illustrations of some of the most romantic 
spots known over the wide earth.' — Christian Register. 

' It contains a variety of articles, suggested by a recent visit to Great 
Britain, in poetry and prose, but all of a superior order, and all calcu- 
lated to enchain the attention of the reader, — and while the beautiful 
description of scenes abroad tends to enlighten, the elegant language 
and the elevated sentiments must purify the heart.' 

NEAT MINIATURE TOLUJffisTlN CLOTH, GILT EDGES. 

Channing's Self- Culture ; Hours for Heaven ; Pure Gold ; Sentiment 
of Flowers ; Hemans, Wordsworth, Campbell, and Bowring's Poetical 
Works ; Casket of Four Jewels ; Bible and the Closet ; Marriage Ring ; 
Daily Manna ; Elizabeth, or the Exiles of Siberia ; Vicar of Wakefield ; 
Goldsmith's Essays ; Gems from American Poets : Hannah More's 
Private Devotion ; Token of the Heart ; Paul and Virginia ; Flower 
Vase; Gems from Female Poets; Scott's PoeticaL Works, 3 vols. 5 
Coleridge's Poetical Works 5 Barton's Poems ; Remember Me \ Queen 
of Flowers. 



JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY, 

Publishers, Booksellers, and Stationers, 

134 WASHINGTON STREET, 
BOSTON, 

KEEP CONSTANTLY ON HAND A LARGE ASSORTMENT OF 

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J. M. & Co. are also publishers of 

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AND 

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Edited by Francis Bowen. 14 volumes now ready. Back 
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NEW TRANSLATION 



OF 



THE PROVERBS, ECCLESIASTES, 

AND 

THE CANTICLES, 

WITH 

INTEODUCTIONS, 

AND 

NOTES, CHIEFLY EXPLANATORY. 

uS. 

By GEORGE E^ifOYES, D.D., 

HANCOCK PROFESSOR OP HEBREW, ETC., AND DEXTER LECTURER 
IN HARVARD UNIVERSITY. 



BOSTON: 
JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY. 

LONDON: 

CHAPMAN, BROTHERS, 121, NEWGATE ST. 

1846. 






4-0^ 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1846, by 

James Munroe and Company, 

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts 



CAMBRIDGE: 
METCALF AND COMPANY. 

PRINTERS TO THE UNIVERSITY.' 



PREFACE, 



The present volume completes a series of transla- 
tions of the Hebrew poetry which has come down to 
us, with the exception of the few pieces which are 
scattered through the historical part of the Scriptures. 
The author has been gratified by the commendation 
w^hich the preceding volumes have received from critics 
of different denominations both in this country and in 
England. Their circulation, however, has been hmited, 
as was, perhaps, for several reasons, to be expected, 
especially in the present state of theology. But the 
time which could be spared from official duties has 
been cheerfully given to the preparation of this volume, 
in the hope that this and the other translations by the 
author, if of any value, may contribute to a better 
understanding of the Bible, and give some aid tow^ard 
procuring a better version of it, which may gradually 
Vv'in its way into general use. 

The Introductions and Notes were designed chiefly 
for the use of readers unacquainted w^ith the Hebrew 
language. But in some instances it seemed desirable 
to give the reasons on which an opinion w^as founded, 
which can be fully appreciated only by the Hebrew 



iv PREFACE. 

scholar. In all cases, it was the design to explain 
the meaning of the text, rather than to furnish reading 
which might be edifying independently of it. The Notes 
were placed at the end of the book for the satisfaction 
of those who, like the author, do not like to have 
their attention disturbed by notes when no difficulty is 
felt. Few persons are likely to derive benefit from 
comments, who will not take the trouble to look for 
them at the end of the volume. 

Cambridge, February 23, 1846. 



THE PROVERBS 



INTRODUCTION. 



That part of Hebrew literature which has come down to us 
under the name of the Proverbs of Solomon contains something 
more than the title indicates. It is not wholly composed of short, 
sententious maxims and enigmatical propositions, such as com- 
monly receive the name of proverbs, but in part of several di- 
dactic discourses of considerable length, containing exhortations 
to prudence and virtue, warnings against vice and folly, and 
eulogies upon true wisdom. The first nine chapters belong to 
the latter species of composition. These discourses, as well as 
the proper proverbs, are expressed in the peculiar form and lan- 
guage of Hebrew poetry, and without doubt belong to the most 
flourishing period of Hebrew literature. On the nature and his- 
tory of this kind of composition the following just remarks have 
been made by Holden, in his Preliminary Dissertation to the 
Proverbs. 

'^ Short and pithy sentences have been employed from the most 
remote antiquity as the vehicle of ethical instruction, and par- 
ticularly adapted to the simplicity of the early ages. When 
writings were but few, and the reasonings of systematic philoso- 
phy almost unknown, just observations on life and manners, and 
useful moral precepts, delivered in concise language, and often 
in verse, would form a body of the most valuable practical wis- 
dom, which, by its influence on the conduct, must have con- 
tributed largely to the peace and w^ell-being of society. An acute 
remark, a moral adage, an admonition conveyed in a brief and 
compact sentence, would arrest the attention and operate upon 
the hearts of a rude people with a force of which there is no ex- 
ample in periods of greater cultivation. Yet, in every age, they 



viii THE PROVERBS. 

are well fitted to impress the minds of the young and the unin- 
formed ; and, as they are the most valuable guides in the affairs 
of life, when we are called upon, not to deliberate, but to act, not 
to unfold a circuitous argument, but to transact business, all must 
find it highly advantageous to retain in their memories the max- 
ims of proverbial wisdom. 

'* This method of instruction appears to be peculiarly suited to 
the genius and disposition of the Asiatics, among whom it has 
prevailed from the earliest ages. The Gymnosophists of India 
delivered their philosophy in brief enigmatical sentences ; * a 
practice adopted and carried to a great extent by the ancient 
Egyptians.f The mode of conveying instruction by compendious 
maxims obtained among the Hebrews, from the first dawn of their 
literature, to its final extinction in the East through the power of 
the Mohammedan arms ; and it was familiar to the inhabitants of 
Syria and Palestine, as we learn from the testimony of St. 
Jerome .J The eloquence of Arabia was mostly exhibited in de- 
tached and unconnected sentences, which, like so many loose 
gems, attracted attention by the fulness of the periods, the ele- 
gance of the phraseology, and the acuteness of proverbial say- 
ings. § Nor do the Asiatics || at present differ in this respect from 



* Diog. Laert. Procem., p. 4. Genev. 1615. 

•j- Jablonski, Pantheon ^gypt. Proleg , c. 3. Brucker, Lib. 1, c. 8. 

I " Familiare est Syris, et maxhue Palaestinis, ad omnem ser- 
monem suum parabolas jungere." Hieron. Comment. Matt, xviii. 23. 

§ " Orationes autem eorum minime in partes suas juxta rhetoricae 
apud Graecos et Latinos prsecepta distributaB, nee methodice concin- 
natae ; adeo ut sententiarum in iis frequentium gemmsB vera dis- 
persae, minimeque inter se colligatae videantur, totusque sermo arena 
sine calce recte dici posse videatur. In sententiarum tamen rotun- 
ditate, phrasium elegantia, ac proverbiorum acumine, invenies quod 
animum feriat." Pococke, Specimen Historiae Araburn, p. 167, ed. 
White, Oxon. 1806. See Sale's Prelim. Discourse to the Koran, 
§ 1, p. 35, Lond. 1812. 

II Hottingeri, Hist. Orient., Lib. II., cap. 5. Erpenii Prov. Arab. 
Cent, duae, Leidae, 1614. Schultens, Antholog. Senten. Arab., Lug. 
Bat., 1772. " Veteres Araburn sententiaB sunt innumerae ; et per- 



INTRODUCTION. ix 

their ancestors ; as numerous amthal, or moral sentences, are in 
circulation throughout the regions of the East, some of which 
have been published by Hottinger, Erpenius, the younger Schul- 
tens, and others who have distinguished themselves by the pursuit 
of Oriental learning. ' The moralists of the East,' says Sir 
William Jon€s, ' have in general chosen to deliver their precepts 
in short, sententious maxims, to illustrate them by sprightly com- 
parisons, or to inculcate them in the very ancient forms of agree- 
able apologues. There are, indeed, both in Arabic and Persian, 
philosophical tracts on ethics, written with sound ratiocination and 
elegant perspicuity; but in every part of the Eastern world, from 
Pekin to Damascus, the popular teachers of moral wisdom have 
immemorially been poets, and there would be no end of enumerat- 
ing their works, which are still extant in the five principal lan- 
guages of Asia, ' * 

** The ingenious, but ever-disputing and loquacious Greeks 
were indebted to the same means for their earliest instruction in 
wisdom. The sayings of the Seven Wise Men, the Golden Yerses 
of Pythagoras, the remains of Theognis and Phocylides, if gen- 
uine, and the Gnomai of the older poets, testify the prevalence 
of aphorisms in ancient Greece. Had no specimens remained of 
Hellenic proverbs, we might have concluded this to be the case ; 
for the Greeks borrowed the rudiments, if not the principal part, 
of their knowledge from those whom they arrogantly termed bar- 
barians ; f and it is only through the medium of compendious 
maxims and brief sentences that traditionary knowledge can be 
preserved. J This mode of communicating moral and practical 

multa sunt volumina, quae Amthal sive Sententias complectuntur." 
Sir William Jones, Poeseos Asiaticae Commentarii, p. 275, ed. Eich- 
horn, Lips,, 1777. See D'Herbelot, Bibliotheque Orientale, in Am- 
thal, and Les Maximes des Orientaux, at the end of Vol. IV. [See 
also Arabum Proverbia, edidit G. W. Freytag, Bonnae ad Rhenura, 
1838. This work is in four volumes octavo.] 

* Disc, on the Philos. of the Asiatics, Works, Vol. I., p. 167, 4to. 

t Brucker, Hist. Philos., Lib. II., cap, 1. Burnet, ArchgeologiaB, 
Lib. I., cap. 9. Shuckford's Connections, Pref. to Vol. I. 

X The greatest part of Greek aphorisms have, no doubt, perished ; 
h 



X THE PROVERBS. 

wisdom accorded with the sedate and deliherative character of the 
Romans ; * and, in truth, from its influence over the mind, and 
its fitness for popular instruction, proverbial expressions exist in 
all ages and in all languages." f 

The whole collection seems, in the title of the book, to be as- 
cribed to Solomon as the author ; and as in 1 Kings, iv. 32, that 
wise monarch is said to have uttered three thousand proverbs, 
such has been the received opinion of the Jewish and Christian 
churches. 

In modern times, however, this opinion has been called in 
question. The learned and sagacious critic, Grotius, advanced 
the opinion, that the Book of Proverbs was not an original compo- 
sition of Solomon, but a selection made by him from the proverbs 
of numerous writers who lived before his time. J This opinion 

having fallen into neglect when the dialectic art and a systematic 
philosophy gained ground among this acute and disputatious people. 
Eusebius, in his treatise against Marcellus, Lib. I., cap. 3, makes 
mention of Greek proverbs, and collectors of them. Among the 
Deperdita are the Kvoiai Juqai of Epicurus. Diog. Laert., Lib. X., 
p. 724. Cicero, De Finibus, Lib. IL, § 7 ; De Nat. Deor., Lib. I., 
§30. 

* Seneca, Ep. 59. Both Suetonius (Vita Caesaris, § 56) and 
Cicero (ad Divers., Lib. IX., Ep. 16) speak of the Dicta Collectanea 
of CsBsar ; namely, Apophthegms collected by him ; and some 
aphoristic sayings of the ancients are reported by Valerius Maximus, 
Lib. VII., cap. 2. 

t Ray's Collection of English Proverbs is well known; and there 
is a book entitled, Adagia, sive Proverbiorum omnium quae apud 
Graecos, Latinos, Hebraeos, Arabes, &c., in Usu fuerunt Collectio, 
fol.. Erf, 1646. Sir William Jones mentions the precepts of Odin, 
written in the Runic tongue, and the work of a Persian poet, Sheikh 
Attdr, as instances of aphoristic composition. (Comment, de Poes. 
Asiat., p. 274, ed. Eichhorn, Lips., 1777.) Grotius, in his Proleg. 
to the Proverbs, speaks of the ^ExXuyai of the Byzantine emperors. 

t " Videtur hie liber esse txUyri optimarum sententiarura ex 
plurimis qui ante Salomonem fuere scriptoribus, quales IxXoyag multi 
imperatorum Constantinopolitanorum conscribi in sues usus fecere.** 



INTRODUCTION. xi 

has been adopted, and maintained by a variety of arguments, by 
distinguished critics in modern times. The most important con- 
sideration, however, seems to be, that it is not probable, according 
to the analogy of the literature of other nations, that one man 
should be the author of so much proverbial v^dsdom. Such prov- 
erbs, it is said, have usually been the result of the general sense 
and experience of a community, and the product of a large num- 
ber of minds. Solomon may have composed a considerable num- 
ber of proverbial maxims, and other wise men of the nation, be- 
fore and after him, may have done the same. Now it is not 
uncommon, when one has become distinguished for wisdom or wit 
in a nation, that many things should be ascribed to him of which 
he is not the author. Thus, the Greeks, it is said, ascribed most 
of their sententious maxims to Pythagoras ; the Arabs theirs to 
Lokman and a few others ; the Northern nations theirs to King 
Odin. In this way the Hebrews may have ascribed their proverbs 
to their wisest king, Solomon, because it was known of him 
that he had accomplished more than others in this kind of sen- 
tentious poetry. Thus the opinion may have been formed, that 
Solomon was the author of the whole collection of the Hebrew 
proverbs. But that he was not in a strict sense the author of all 
the Proverbs has been thought probable, not only from the argu- 
ment before mentioned, but also from the character of some of the 
maxims, which would come more naturally from persons in a 
situation in life different from that of a king. Chapter thirtieth 
is expressly ascribed to another author, namely, to Agur the son 
of Jakeh.* 

These arguments, however, are not in the highest degree con- 
clusive. It is very evident that the Book of Proverbs is not 
a mere collection of oral maxims, which were circulated among 
the people before they were committed to writing, like Frey tag's 
collection of Arabic, or Ray's of English proverbs. The uni- 
formity in the structure and expression of the proverbs shows that 
they were the result of elaborate composition. They are all 
marked by the peculiar characteristic of Hebrew poetry, the par- 

"* Some other considerations, of little weight, are adduced in De 
Wette's Introduction, Vol. II., p. 543, Amer. transl. 



xii THE PROVERBS. 

allelism. There is also such a general similarity in the diction 
and style of composition in these proverbs, that it is difficult to 
believe, that, in their present form, they could have been the pro- 
duction of a great many authors. Many of the thoughts may 
have been in circulation among the people, expressed in a dif- 
erent way. But the style and the poetical form in which they 
are expressed seem to indicate that very few authors could have 
had a hand in the composition. From these considerations, and 
from the historical tradition of the Jews, the more probable con- 
clusion seems to be, that Solomon w^as the composer of the greater 
part, at least, of the proverbs ascribed to him. Of others he 
may have been only the collector. 

The book of Proverbs bears evident marks of being composed 
of several smaller collections, which were made at different times. 
It may accordingly be divided into five distinct parts. 

I. The first part consists of the first nine chapters, and con- 
tains, not what according to the common use of language are called 
proverbs, but connected moral discourses in praise of wisdom, and 
urging to the practice of virtue, especially the virtue of chas- 
tity. The discourse or discourses in these nine chapters probably 
came from the same author. There seems to be no sufficient rea- 
son for rejecting the Jewish tradition that Solomon was the au- 
thor of this part of the book. De Wette^ objects that its didactic 
and admonitory tone, and its strict injunction of chastity, indicate 
a teacher of youth, a prophet, or a priest, as the author, rather 
than a king like Solomon. This objection seems to have some 
weight ; but whether it should be regarded as decisive against the 
Jewish tradition concerning the authorship of the book is very 
doubtful. Our knowledge of the intellectual habits and moral 
character of Solomon at different periods of his life is too imper- 
fect to allow one to conclude with confidence that he could not 
have been the author of this portion of the book. Bertholdtf 
also suggests that a person whose harem was so crowded as that 
of Solomon would not be likely to speak so highly of the happi- 
ness of a man with one wife, in ch. v. 18. He suggests, also, 

* Einleitung, &c., § 281. t Einleitung, &c., § 505. 



INTRODUCTION. xiii 

that the warnings against adultery, in ch. vi. 24, &c., and vii. 
5-23, could hardly have come from one to whom it was known 
that his mother became his father's wife by the commission of 
that sin. Some few of the sentiments, also, in his opinion, indi- 
cate a private person as the author, rather than a king, such as in 
eh. vi. 26-31. The reader can judge how much force there is 
in these arguments. To me they seem to have but little weight. 
The experience of the effects of sin and folly may suggest wise 
precepts, as well as the enjoyment of the fruits of wisdom. 

II. The second part begins with chapter x. and extends to 
chapter xxii. 17. It is of a very different character from the nine 
preceding chapters. It contains proverbs properly so called ; 
sententious maxims of morality or prudence, contained commonly 
in single verses, and having no connection with each other. This 
portion of the book has also a separate title, manifestly indicating 
that it once formed a collection by itself, independent of the first 
nine chapters. 

III. At chapter xxii. 17, it seems probable that another collec- 
tion begins. For it is introduced by an exhortation extending 
through several verses, similar to that in ch. i. 1 - 6, This third 
portion extends from chapter xxii. 17 to chapter xxv. It seems 
to be distinguished from the second part by a greater connection 
between the verses, and a more negligent use of the parallelism. 

IV. The fourth part of the book begins with chapter xxv. It 
has a new title, or preface, setting forth that the proverbs con- 
tained in it were collected by men employed by King Hezekiah. 
It extends to chapter xxx. 

V. The fifth portion of the book begins with chapter xxx. and 
extends to the end. It contains some proverbial maxims of a 
certain Agur, some advice addressed by his mother to a king 
called Lemuel, and an alphabetical poem, that is, a poem the 
lines of which begin with the different letters of the Hebrew 
alphabet in regular succession, the subject of which is the praises 
of a good wife. 

The book of Proverbs is, in a moral and religious point of view, 
one of the most valuable portions of the Old Testament. It gives 
a view of the Jewish religion and morality, as pervading the com- 



xiv THE PROVERBS. 

mon life of the Jews, much more favorable than that which we 
receive from the accounts of the ceremonies and forms which are 
elsewhere enjoined. 

It is true that the religion and morality of the book of Prov- 
erbs will not bear -a favorable comparison with those of Jesus 
Christ. Its morality is much less disinterested, being for the 
most part founded in prudence, rather than in love. Its motives 
generally are of a much less elevated kind than those which 
Christianity presents. The idea of the immortality of the soul 
does not appear to have dawned upon the mind of the author. 
Prudential motives, founded on a strict earthly retribution, are 
the principal encouragements to a life of virtue which he presents. 
This is well, it is true, as far as it goes ; for man should ever 
be reminded of the laws of the Creator, and of the consequences 
of violating them. But higher and more disinterested and affec- 
tionate motives are necessary for the formation of a perfect char- 
acter, a character which shall command our highest esteem and 
love. 

But the religion of the book of Proverbs, when compared with 
that of the heathen world, appears to the highest advantage. 
Jehovah is there represented as the one creator of the universe, 
the governor of the world, and the disposer of human destinies. 
He is set forth as the first cause of all things, and man's high- 
est duty is declared to be that of acknowledging in sentiment 
and practice the power, wisdom, and goodness of Jehovah in the 
creation and government of mankind. He is represented as holy 
and just, as knowing every thing which takes place on the earth, 
as loving, commending, and rewarding piety and virtue, and as 
abhorring and punishing sin and transgression. 

^' For the ways of man are before the eyes of Jehovah, 
And he weighs well all his paths." Ch. v. 21. 

** The eyes of Jehovah are in every place ; 
They behold the evil and the good." Ch. xv. 3. 

'* The under- world, yea, the region of death, is before Jehovah ; 
How much more the hearts of the sons of men." lb. 11. 

** All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes ; 
But Jehovah weighs the spirit." Ch. xvi. 2. 



INTRODUCTION. XV 

The incomprehensibility of God is also set forth in this book 
in striking language. No human powers are capable of compre- 
hending his nature, or understanding his works. 

** I have not learned wisdom, 
Nor have I the knowledge of the Most Holy. 
Who has gone up into heaven and come down 1 
Who has gathered the wind in his fists ? 
Who has bound up the waters in a garment ? 
Who has established all the ends of the earth 1 
What is his name, and what his son's name, if thou know- 
est?" Ch. XXX. 2-4. 

The providence of God is represented as ever active and uni- 
versal. It is over all his works, and nothing takes place which 
is not in accordance with his will and ordination. It is accom- 
plished by the almighty power of Jehovah, and no mention is 
made in this book of the instrumentality of angels. Not only the 
outward fortunes, but the minds of men, according to it, are 
under the complete control of Jehovah. 

*' Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart. 
And lean not on thine own understanding ; 
In all thy ways acknowledge him. 
And he will make thy paths plain." Ch. iii. 5, 6. 

'' To man belongs the preparation of the heart ; 
But the answer of the tongue is from Jehovah." Ch. xvi. 1. 

" Commit thy doings to Jehovah, 
And thy purposes shall be established." lb. 3. 

" As streams of water, 
So is the heart of the king in the hand of Jehovah ; 
He turns it whithersoever he will." Ch. xxi. 1. 

** It is the blessing of Jehovah that makes rich, 
And he adds no sorrow with it." Ch. x. 22. 

From this last quotation. Dr. Baur"^ takes occasion to remark, 
that, according to this book, *' blessings are granted to God's 

* See Extracts from Baur's Theology of the Old Testament, Lon- 
don, 1838, p. 84. 



xvi THE PROVERBS. 

favorites, independent of any exertions on their part." A more 
superficial and unfounded remark, or more inconsistent with the 
whole tenor of the book, could not have been made. The obvious 
meaning of the verse is, that, while wealth may be gained by 
labor by the wicked as well as the righteous, that wealth only 
is free from sorrow which is gained by means which have the 
approbation and blessing of Jehovah. 

In fact, the most prevalent idea in the whole book is that of an 
exact temporal retribution to men for their good and bad deeds. 
What inconceivable rashness, then, was it in Dr. Baur to assert 
the doctrine of the book to be, that blessings were granted to 
Jehovah's favorites, independent of any exertions on their part I 

Another important religious doctrine taught in this book is, 
that the evils which afflict the righteous man are to be regarded 
by him as the chastenings of Jehovah, inflicted by God in order to 
promote the moral improvement of him whom he loves. 

'^ My son, despise not the correction of Jehovah, 
Nor be impatient under his chastisement ! 
For whom Jehovah loves he chastens, 
Even as a father the son in whom he delights." Ch. iii. 11,12. 

But the character of God, as a father seeking to reclaim the 
wicked by manifestations of love, is not prominent in this book. 
The doctrine of Christ on this subject is so far beyond what can 
be found in the book of Proverbs, or in any part of the Old Testa- 
ment, as to deserve the appellation of a new doctrine. 

Dr. Baur thinks that he finds in this book the doctrine, that 
Jehovah predestinated men to wickedness and to punishment. 
The passage on which he founds the remark is contained in 
ch. xvi. 4. In the common version it is translated : — ** The 
Lord hath made all things for himself ; yea, even the wicked for 
the day of evil." 

Against the interpretation of this passage which makes it 
mean that Jehovah made man wicked on purpose to inflict evil 
upon him, the most obvious remark is, that common sense cannot 
reconcile it with the strict doctrine of retribution which pervades 
the book of Proverbs. The verse seems, also, not only to admit, 
but to require, a translation somewhat diflferent. Thus, — 



INTRODUCTION. xvii 

'' Jehovah has ordained every thing for its end ; 
Even the wicked for the day of evil." 

It appears to me, that, if we take into view the connection in 
which the verse stands, and also the general tenor of the book in 
regard to a righteous retribution, the meaning of the passage will 
appear to be nothing more than this, — that God has ordained every 
thing to that which answers to it, or is fit for it, and the wicked 
he has ordained for the day of evil, i. e. of punishment. There 
is not only a wise arrangement and correspondence in good 
things, but also in evil things ; for the evil of punishment follows 
the evil of guilt ; the evil day is appointed for the evil-doer. 
The idea, that the Almighty makes men wdcked for the very pur- 
pose of inflicting evil on them, is too metaphysical for the writer, 
whose maxims are drawn from common sense and observation, 
and not from mystical or metaphysical musings. 

The necessity of religion, which is spoken of under the name 
of the fear of Jehovah, is inculcated in this book in strong and 
emphatic language, as the beginning of wisdom and the fountain 
of happiness. Of sacrifices and oflferings very little is said. The 
author insists almost exclusively upon the substantial duties of 
morality and religion. He seems to rely upon obedience to God's 
laws, amendment of life, justice, purity, and mercy, as the means 
of securing the forgiveness and favor of Jehovah, rather than upon 
formal offerings for sin. 

'' To do justice and equity 
Is more acceptable to Jehovah than sacrifice." Ch. xxi. 3. 

Such are the views of morality and religion taught in the book 
of Proverbs ; views which may well command our admiration, 
when we consider when and w^here they were taught. Still, we 
must remember that our duty is now to be learned from Christ, 
rather than from Solomon. We must examine ourselves by the 
light of the Sermon on the Mount, rather than by that of the 
book of Proverbs. A greater than Solomon is here. He is come 
in his kingdom, and by his laws we are to be judged. 

One interesting characteristic of the book of Proverbs is the 
frequent personification of wisdom, as an attribute of God, as well 



xviii THE PROVERBS. 

as the guide of men, which occurs in it. She is represented as 
existing- prior to the Creation. 

*' Jehovah formed me, the first of his creation, 
Before his works, of old ; 
I was anointed from everlasting, 
From the beginning, even before the earth was made. 
When as yet there were no deeps, I was brought forth ; 

When there were no springs, abounding with water 

Then was I by him, as a master-builder ; 
I was his delight day by day. 
Exulting continually in his presence ; 
Exulting in the habitable part of his earth, 
And my delight was with the sons of men." 

Ch. viii. 22-24, 30, 31. 

Wisdom is here represented as a female and a queen, the assist- 
ant, counsellor, and architect of the Almighty in the creation of 
the world out of chaos. This bold personification is perfectly 
agreeable to the genius of the Hebrew poets, who represent Zion 
as stretching out her hands, having none to comfort her ; and the 
inanimate ways which lead to the temple of Jerusalem as mourn- 
ing, because none came to the solemn festivals ; and all the trees 
of the field as clapping their hands, in token of joy that the 
ransomed of Jehovah were returning to Zion. 

That the representation of wisdom in the eighth chapter of this 
book is a personification, and not a real person, as the Church 
fathers and many in modern times have supposed is perfectly 
manifest from the connection in which it stands, and the previous 
personification of wisdom as an attribute of man. It is the same 
attribute by which kings reign and princes decree justice, that 
is found by all that love her, that loves them who love her, that 
cries aloud to the sons of men at the corners of the streets, which 
is immediately afterwards represented as the counsellor and archi- 
tect of the Deity. If, when he speaks of wisdom as the guide 
and instructer of men, he does not refer to any thing personal, 
we have no reason to suppose, that, w^hen he speaks of wisdom as 
the counsellor and architect of the Deity, he meant any thing 
more, than that all the works of God were created by his wisdom, 
and manifest its excellence. 



INTRODUCTION. xix 

This personification of wisdom in the book of Proverbs is wor- 
thy of attention, as illustrating the natural origin of the doctrine 
of a personal Logos, or intermediate personal agent between 
the Deity and created things, in the creation and government of 
the world. For how easy would be the transition from such a 
personification of wisdom to the representation of it as a real 
person ! 

A list of the principal commentators on this book may be seen 
in Rosenmiiller's Scholia in Yetus Testamentum. The latest 
English works on the Proverbs, which I have seen, are, — An 
Attempt towards an Improved Translation of the Proverbs, with 
Notes Critical and Explanatory, and a Preliminary Dissertation, 
by the Rev. George Holden, London, 1819, 8vo., — A New Trans- 
lation of the Proverbs, with Explanatory Notes, by William 
French, D. D., and Rev. George Skinner, M. A., London, 1831, — 
and the translation in Boothroyd's Version of the Bible, London, 
1843. The best recent works on Proverbs, which I have exam- 
ined, are the Scholia of Rosenmiiller, Leipsic, 1629, — the German 
version and commentary of Umbreit, Heidelberg, 1826, — and the 
excellent German version of De Wette, in the third edition of his 
Translation of the Scriptures, Heidelberg, 1839. 



THE PROVERBS. 



Introduction. Warning against evil company. — Ch. i. 1-19. 

1 The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of 

Israel : 

2 From which men may learn wisdom and instruction, 
And receive words of understanding ; 

3 From which they may gain the instruction of prudence, 
Justice, equity, and uprightness ; 

4 Which will give caution to the simple. 

To the young man wisdom and discretion ; 

5 The wise man may hear and increase his knowledge. 
And the man of understanding may gain wise directions ; 

6 By which they may understand a proverb and a deep 

maxim. 
The words of the wise and their dark sayings. 

7 The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge ; 
Fools despise wisdom and instruction. 

8 Hear, O my son, the instruction of thy father. 
And neglect not the precepts of thy mother ! 

9 For they shall be a graceful wreath for thy head. 
And chains around thy neck. 

1 



2 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. i. 

10 My son, if sinners entice thee, 
Consent thou not ! 

11 If they say, " Come with us. 
Let us lie in wait for blood. 

Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause ; 

12 Let us swallow them up, as the under-world the living, 
Yea, whole, as those that go down into the pit ; 

13 We shall find all kinds of precious substance. 
We shall fill our houses with spoil ; 

14 Thou shalt cast thy lot among us ; 
We will all have one purse " ; — 

15 My son, walk thou not in their way, 
Refrain thy foot from their path ! 

16 For their feet run to evil. 
And make haste to shed blood. 

17 For as the net is spread in vain 
Before the eyes of any bird, 

18 So they lie in wait for their own blood ; 
They lurk secretly for their own lives. 

19 Such are the ways of all who are greedy of unjust gain ; 
It takes away the life of its possessors. 



II. 



The invitation of Wisdom, and warning against neglecting her. 
Ch. I. 20-33. 

20 Wisdom cries out in the highway ; 

In the market-place she utters her voice ; 

21 At the head of the noisy streets she cries aloud ; 



Ch.i.] the proverbs. 3 

At the entrances of the gates, throughout the city, she 
proclaims her words [saying] : 

22 " How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simpleness ? 
How long will scoffers delight themselves in scoffing, 
And fools hate knowledge ? 

23 Turn ye at my reproof ! 

Behold, I will pour out my spirit to you ; 
I will make known my words to you ! 

24 " Because I have called, and ye have refused, — 
Because I have stretched out my hand, and no one has 

regarded, — 

25 Because ye have rejected all my counsel. 
And have slighted my rebuke, — 

26 I also will laugh at your calamity, 

I will mock when your fear comes ; 

27 When your fear comes upon you like a storm. 
And destruction overtakes you like a whirlwind. 
When distress and anguish come upon you. 

28 Then will they call upon me, but I will not answer ! 
They will seek me early, 

But they shall not find me ! 

29 Because they have hated knowledge. 

And have not chosen the fear of Jehovah, — 

30 Because they would not attend to my counsel. 
And despised all my reproof, — 

31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, 
And be filled with their own devices ; 

32 Yea, the falling away of the simple shall slay them, 
And the carelessness of fools shall destroy them. 

33 But whoso hearkens to me shall dwell securely. 
And shall not be disquieted with the fear of evil." 



THE PROVERBS. [Ch. ii. 



III. 



The advantages attending the pursuit of wisdom, and the evils to be 
avoided by such a course. — Ch. ii. 

1 My son, O that thou wouldst receive my words, 
And treasure up my precepts within thee ! 

2 That thou wouldst apply thine ear to wisdom, 
And incline thy heart to understanding ! 

3 For if thou wilt call aloud to knowledge, 
And lift up thy voice to understanding, — 

4 If thou wilt seek her as silver, 

And search for her as for hidden treasure, — 

5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of Jehovah, 
And find the knowledge of God. 

6 For Jehovah gives wisdom ; 

From his mouth proceed knowledge and understanding : 

7 He lays up safety for the righteous ; 

He is a shield to them that walk uprightly : 

8 He guards the paths of equity, 

And defends the way of his servants. 

9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and equity, 
And uprightness, yea, every good path. 

10 When wisdom enters into thy heart. 
And knowledge is pleasant to thy soul, 

11 Discretion will guard thee. 
Understanding will preserve thee. 

12 It will deliver thee from the way of the wicked. 
From the men who speak perverse things ; 

13 Who forsake the paths of uprightness, 
To walk in the ways of darkness ; 

14 Who rejoice in doing evil, 

And delight in the perverseness of the wicked ; 



Ch. Ill] THE PROVERBS. fj^ 

15 Whose paths are crooked, 

And who are froward in their ways. 

16 It will deliver thee from the wife of another, 
From the stranger, who uses smooth words ; 

17 Who forsakes the friend of her youth. 
And forgets the covenant of her God. 

18 For her house sinks down to Death, 

And her paths to the mansion of the dead : 

19 None that go to her return again ; 
They will not attain the paths of life. 

20 Therefore walk thou in the way of good men, 
And keep the paths of the righteous : 

21 For the upright shall dwell in the land. 
And the righteous shall remain in it ; 

22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the land, 
And transgressors shall be rooted out of it. 



IV. 

Exhortation to obedience, to reliance upon God, to the due payment 
of offerings prescribed by the law, and to patience under the divine 
chastisements. The inestimable value of wisdom set forth. — 
Ch. III. 1-26. 

1 My son, forget not my teaching. 
And let thy heart observe my precepts ! 

2 For length of days, and years of life, 
And peace shall they multiply to thee. 

3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee ; 

Bind them around thy neck, 

Write them upon the tablet of thy heart : 
1# 



6 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. hi. 

4 Then shalt thou find favor and good success 
In the sight of God and man. 

5 Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart, 
And lean not on thine own understanding ; 

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, 
And he will make thy paths plain. 

7 Be not wise in thine own eyes ; 
Fear Jehovah, and depart from evil. 

8 It shall be health to thy navel. 
And moisture to thy bones. 

9 Honor Jehovah with thy substance, 

And with the first fruits of all thy increase ; 

10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty. 
And thy vats overflow with new wine. 

11 My son, despise not the correction of Jehovah, 
Nor be impatient under his chastisement ! 

12 For whom Jehovah loves he chastens, 

Even as a father the son in whom he delights. 

13 Happy the man who finds wisdom, 
Yea, the man who gets understanding ! 

14 For her profit is greater than that of silver, 
And her gain than that of fine gold. 

15 More valuable is she than pearls. 

And none of thy precious things is to be compared with 
her. 

16 Length of days is in her right hand ; 
In her left hand are riches and honor. 

17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness. 
And all her paths are peace. 

18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold on her. 
And happy is every one who holds her fast. 



Ch. III.] THE PROVERBS. 

19 Jehovah by wisdom founded the earth ; 
By understanding he framed the heavens. 

20 By his knowledge the deeps burst forth, 
And the clouds drop down the dew. 

21 My son, let them not depart from thine eyes ; 
Keep sound wisdom and discretion ! 

22 For they shall be life to thy soul, 
And grace to thy neck. 

23 Then shalt thou go on thy way securely, 
And thy foot shall not stumble ; 

24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid, 

Yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. 

25 Be not thou afraid of sudden alarm. 

Nor of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh ; 

26 For Jehovah shall be thy confidence. 

And he will keep thy foot from being taken. 



V. 

Various precepts. — Ch. hi. 27-35. 

27 Withhold not kindness from those who need it, 
When it is in the power of thy hand to do it. 

28 Say not to thy neighbour, " Go, and come again. 
And to-morrow I will give to thee," when thou hast it by 

thee. 

29 Devise not evil against thy neighbour. 
While he dwelleth securely by thee. 



8 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. iv. 

30 Contend not with a man without cause, 
When he hath done thee no harm. 

31 Envy thou not the oppressor, 
And choose none of his ways. 

32 For the perverse man is the abomination of Jehovah, 
But he is in friendship with the upright. 

33 The curse of Jehovah is upon the house of the wicked. 
But he blesses the dwelling of the righteous. 

34 Scorners he treats scornfully. 
But gives favor to the lowly. 

35 The wise shall obtain honor, 
But fools shall bear off shame. 



VI. 

Exhortation to wisdom and virtue. — Ch. iv. 

1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father. 
And attend, that ye may learn understanding! 

2 For I give you good instruction ; 
Forsake ye not my precepts. 

3 For I was my father's son, 

A tender and only child in the sight of my mother. 

4 He taught me and said to me. 
Let thy heart hold fast my words ; 
Keep my commandments, and live. 

5 Get wisdom, get understanding ; 

Forget not, and depart not from, the words of my mouth. 

6 Forsake her not, and she will guard thee ; 
Love her, and she will preserve thee. 

7 Wisdom is the principal thing ; therefore gain wisdom. 



Ch. IV.] THE PROVERBS. 9 

And with all thy gain, gain understanding. 

8 Exalt her, and she will promote thee ; 

She will bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her; 

9 She will give to thy head a graceful wreath, 
A splendid crown will she bestow upon thee. 

10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings ! 
So shall the years of thy life be many. 

11 I will teach thee the way of wisdom, 
I will lead thee in the right path. 

12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be confined ; 
And when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. 

13 Take fast hold of instruction ; let her not go ; 
Keep her, for she is thy life. 

14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, 
And go not in the way of evil men ; 

15 Avoid it, pass not upon it, 
Turn from it, and go away. 

16 For they sleep not, unless they have done mischief; 
Yea, their sleep is taken away, unless they have caused 

some to fall. 

17 For they eat the bread of wickedness. 
And drink the wine of violence. 

18 The path of the righteous is as the light of dawn. 
Which grows ever brighter and brighter unto the perfect 

day. 

19 The way of the wicked is as thick darkness ; 
They know not at what they stumble. 

20 My son, attend to my words ; 
Incline thine ear to my sayings ; 

21 Let them not depart from thine eyes ; 
Keep them within thy heart ! 

22 For they are life to those that find them. 



10 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. v. 

And soundness to all their flesh. 

23 More than any thing which thou watchest, watch thy 

heart ; 
For from it goes forth life. 

24 Put away from thee a deceitful mouth, 
And remove far from thee perverse lips. 

25 Let thine eyes look straight forward, 
And thine eyelids be directed before thee. 

26 Give heed to the path of thy foot, 
And let all thy ways be straight. 

27 Turn not to the right hand or to the left ; 
Remove thy foot from evil. 



VII. 

Warning against unchastity. — Ch. v. 

1 My son, attend to my wisdom, 

And bow thine ear to my understanding ; 

2 That thou mayst keep discretion, 

And that thy lips may preserve knowledge ! 

3 Truly, the lips of a strange woman drop honey, 
And her mouth is smoother than oil ; 

4 But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, 
Sharp as a two-edged sword. 

5 Her feet go down to Death ; 

Her steps lay hold on the under-world. 

6 She gives no heed to the way of life ; 
Her paths sink, when she thinks not of it. 

7 Hear me now, therefore, O ye children. 
And depart not from the words of my mouth ! 



Ch. v.] THE PROVERBS. 11 

8 Remove thy way far from her, 

And come not nigh the door of her house : 

9 Lest thou give thy bloom to others, 
And thy years to the cruel ; 

10 Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth, 

And thine earnings remain in the house of the alien ; 

11 And lest thou mourn in thy latter end, 
When thy flesh and thy body are consumed, 

12 And say, " How have I hated instruction ! 
And how hath my heart despised reproof ! 

13 I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, 
Nor inclined mine ear to my instructers ; 

14 I have well-nigh fallen into every misery. 

In the midst of the congregation and the assembly." 

15 Drink water out of thine own cistern. 
And running water out of thine own well : 

16 So shall thy fountains overflow in the streets, 
In the wide streets, as streams of water ; 

17 They shall belong to thee alone. 
And not to strangers with thee ; 

18 And thy fountain shall be blessed, 

Yea, thou shalt have joy in the wife of thy youth. 

19 A lovely hind, a graceful mountain-goat. 
Her breasts shall satisfy thee at all times. 

And thou shalt be always ravished with her love. 

20 Why, then, my son, wilt thou be ravished with a wanton. 
And embrace the bosom of a stranger ? 

21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of Jehovah, 
And he weighs well all his paths. 

22 His own iniquities shall catch the wicked. 

Yea, he shall be held fast by the cords of his own sins. 

23 He shall die for want of instruction, 

Yea, through the greatness of his folly he shall stagger 
[into the grave]. 



12 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. vi, 

VIII. 

Warning against suretiship, indolence, falsehood, and other vices. — 
Ch. VI. 1-19. 

1 My son, if thou hast become a surety for another, 
If thou hast stricken hands for another, 

2 If thou art ensnared by the words of thy mouth, 
If thou art caught by the words of thy mouth, 

3 Do this now, my son, and rescue thyself, — 

Since thou hast fallen into the hands of thy neighbour, — 
Go, prostrate thyself, and be urgent with thy neighbour! 

4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids ; 

5 Rescue thyself, as a gazelle from the hand, 
And as a bird from the hand of the fowler. 

6 Go to the ant, O sluggard. 
Consider her ways, and be wise ! 

7 She hath no governor. 
Nor overseer, nor ruler ; 

8 Yet she prepares in the summer her food. 
She gathers in the harvest her meat. 

9 How long wilt thou lie in bed, O sluggard ? 
When wilt thou arise from thy sleep ? 

10 " A little sleep, — a little slumber, — 

A little folding of the hands to rest " ; — 

11 So shall poverty come upon thee, like a robber, 
Yea, want, as an armed man ! 

12 A worthless wretch is the unrighteous man, 
Who walks with a deceitful mouth ; 

13 Who winks with his eyes. 
Speaks with his feet. 

And teaches with his fingers. 



Ch. VI.] THE PROVERBS. 13 

14 Fraud is in his heart, 

He devises mischief continually ; 
He scatters contentions. 

15 Therefore shall calamity come upon him suddenly; 
In a moment shall he be destroyed, without remedy. 

16 These six things doth Jehovah hate ; 
Yea, seven are an abomination to him : 

17 Lofty eyes, a false tongue. 

And hands which shed innocent blood ; 

18 A heajt that contrives wicked devices, 
Feet that are swift in running to mischief, 

19 A false witness, that utters lies. 

And him that sows discord among brethren. 



IX. 

Exhortation of obedience to parents, and warning against unchastity. 
Ch. VI. 20- VII. 

20 Keep, O my son, the commandment of thy father. 
And forsake not the precepts of thy mother ! 

21 Bind them continually to thy heart. 
Tie them around thy neck ! 

22 A¥hen thou goest, they shall guide thee ; 
When thou sleepest, they shall watch over thee ; 
And when thou awakest, they, shall talk with thee. 

23 For his commandment is a lamp, and her teaching a light ; 
Yea, the rebukes of correction lead to life. 

24 They shall guard thee from the evil woman. 
From the smooth tongue of the unchaste woman. 

2 



14 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. vii. 

25 Desire not her beauty in thy heart, 
Nor let her catch thee with her eyelids ; 

26 For by a harlot a man is brought to a morsel of bread, 
And the adulteress lays snares for the precious life. 

27 Can a man take fire into his bosom. 
And his clothes not be burned ? 

28 Can one walk upon burning coals. 
And his feet not be scorched ? 

29 So is it with him who goes in to his neighbour's wife ; 
Whoever touches her shall not go unpunished. 

30 Men do not overlook the thief, 

Though he steal to satisfy his appetite, when he is hungry; 

31 If found, he must repay seven-fold. 

And give up all the substance of his house. 

32 Whoso commits adultery with a woman lacks under- 

standing ; 
He that does it destroys himself; 

33 Blows and dishonor shall he get, 

And his reproach shall not be wiped away. 

34 For jealousy is the fury of a man ; 

He will not spare in the day of vengeance ; 

35 He will not pay regard to any ransom. 

Nor be content, though thou offer many gifts. 

1 My son, keep my words. 

And treasure up my commandments with thee ! 

2 Keep my commandments and live ! 

Yea, my teaching, as the apple of thine eye ! 

3 Bind them upon thy fingers. 

Write them upon the tablet of thy heart ! 

4 Say to wisdom, " Thou art my sister ! " 
And call understanding " Kinswoman" ; 

5 That they may guard thee from the wife of another, 
From the stranger, that useth smooth words. 



Ch.vii.] the proverbs. 15 

6 Through the window of my house, 
Through the lattice I was looking forth, 

7 And I saw among the simple ones, 
I discerned among the youths 

A young man void of understanding. 

8 He was passing through the street near her corner, 
Yea, he was going the way to her house, 

9 At twilight, in the evening, 

At midnight, yea, in the thick darkness. 

10 And, behold, a woman met him. 

In the attire of a harlot, and subtle of heart, — 

11 One noisy and ungovernable. 
Whose feet abide not in her house, — 

12 Who is now in the streets, now in the broad places, 
And lurks near every corner. 

13 She caught him and kissed him, 

And with a shameless face said to him, 

14 " Thank-offerings have been upon me, 
And this day have I performed my vows ; 

15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee. 
Diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee ! 

16 I have spread my bed with coverlets, 
With tapestry of the thread of Egypt. 

17 I have perfumed my bed 

With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 

18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning, 
Let us solace ourselves with caresses. 

19 For the good-man is not at home ; 
He is gone a long journey ; 

20 He has taken a purse of money with him ; 
At the day of the full moon he will return." 

21 By her much fair speech she seduced him ; 

By the smoothness of her lips she drew him away. 

22 He goes after her straightway, 



16 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. viii. 

As an ox goes to the slaughter, 

Or as one in fetters to the chastisement of the fool, 

23 Till an arrow strike through his liver ; 
As a bird hastens into the snare, 

And knows not that it is laid for its life. 

24 Now, therefore, ye children, hearken to me, 
And attend to the words of my mouth ! 

25 Let not thy heart turn aside to her ways ; 
Go not astray in her paths ! 

26 For many are the wounded which she has cast down ; 
Yea, countless is the number of those slain by her. 

27 Her house is the way to the under- world, 
Leading down to the chambers of death. 



X. 

The excellence of wisdom.— Ch. tiii. 

1 Does not wisdom cry aloud. 

And understanding put forth her voice ? 

2 Upon the top of the high places, 
By the wayside. 

In the cross-ways, 
She takes her station. 

3 By the side of the gates, 
In the entrance of the city, 

In the approaches to the doors, she cries aloud. 

4 "To you, O men, do I call. 

And my voice is to the sons of men ! 
6 G ye simple ones, learn wisdom. 
And ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart ! 



Ch. yiii.] the proverbs. 17 

6 Hear, for I speak excellent things, 
And my lips utter that which is right. 

7 For my mouth speaks truth, 

And wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 

8 All the words of my mouth are in uprightness ; 
There is nothing crooked or deceitful in them ; 

9 They are all plain to the man of understanding, 
And direct to them that find knowledge. 

10 Receive my instruction, and not silver. 
And knowledge rather than choice gold ! 

11 For wisdom is better than pearls. 

And no precious things are to be compared with her. 

12 " I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, 

And find out knowledge of sagacious plans. 

13 The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil ; 
Pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, 
And the deceitful mouth do I hate. 

14 Counsel is mine, and sound reason ; 

I am understanding ; I have strength. 

15 By me kings reign, 

And princes decree justice. 

16 By me princes rule. 

And nobles, even all the judges of the earth. 

17 I love them that love me, 

And they who seek me early shall find me. 

18 Riches and honor are with me ; 
Yea, splendid riches and prosperity. 

19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold, 
And my revenue than choice silver. 

20 I walk in the way of righteousness, 
In the midst of the paths of equity. 

21 I make those, who love me, to possess substance ; 
Yea, I fill all their treasuries. 

2* 



18 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. viii. 

22 " Jehovah formed me, the first of his creation, 
Before his works, of old ; 

23 I was anointed from everlasting. 

From the beginning, even before the earth was made. 

24 When as yet there were no deeps, I was brought forth. ; 
When there were no springs, abounding with water. 

25 Before the mountains were settled. 

Yea, before the hills, I was brought forth ; 

26 Ere yet he had made the land and the wastes, 
And the first of the clods of the earth. 

27 When he framed the heavens, I was there ; 
When he drew a circle upon the face of the deep ; 

28 When he made firm the sky above. 

And the fountains of the deep rushed forth ; 

29 When he gave to the sea its bounds. 

That the waters should not pass their border ; 
When he marked out the foundations of the earth ; 

30 Then was I by him, as a master-builder ; 
I was his delight day by day. 
Exulting continually in his presence ; 

31 Exulting in the habitable part of his earth, 
And my delight was with the sons of men. 

32 '' Now, therefore, ye children, hearken to me ! 
For happy are they that keep my ways ! 

33 Hear instruction and be wise ! 
Yea, reject it not ! 

34 Happy the man who hearkens to me. 
Who watches at my gates day by day. 
Who waits at the posts of my doors ; 

35 For he that finds me finds life. 
And obtains favor from Jehovah ; 

36 But he who misses me does violence to himself; 
All they who hate me love death." 



Ch. IX ] THE PROVERBS. 19 



XL 

Wisdom represented as inviting to a sumptuous feast all who need 
her bounty. The different reception given to admonition by a wise 
man and a scoffer. The foundation of true wisdom. Warning 
against the delusions of folly. — Ch. ix. 

1 Wisdom has builded her house ; 
She has hewn out her seven pillars. 

2 She has killed her fatlings ; 
She has mixed her wine ; 

Yea, she has furnished her table. 

3 She has sent forth her maidens ; 

She cries aloud upon the highest places of the city : 

4 " Whoever is simple, let him turn in hither ! " 
To him, that is void of understanding, she saith, 

5 " Come, eat of my bread, 

And drink of the wine which I have mixed ! 

6 Forsake folly, and live ! 

And go forward in the way of understanding ! 

7 " He who corrects a scoffer 
Brings upon himself shame ; 
And he who rebukes the wicked 
Brings upon himself a stain. 

8 Rebuke not a scoffer, lest he hate thee ; 
Eebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. 

9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser; 
Teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning. 

10 The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom. 

And the knowledge of the Most Holy is understanding. 

11 Yea, through me thy days shall be multiplied, 
And the years of thy life shall be increased. 

12 If thou art wise, thou art wise for thyself; 

And if thou art a scoffer, thou alone must bear it." 



20 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. x. 

13 The foolish woman is clamorous ; 

She is very simple, and cares for nothing. 

14 She sits at the door of her house, 

Upon a seat in the high places of the city, 

15 To call aloud to those that pass by. 
Who go straight forward in their ways, — 

16 " Whoever is simple, let him turn in hither ! " 

And to him that is void of understanding she says, — 

17 " Stolen water is sweet. 

And bread eaten in secret is pleasant." 

18 But he considers not that the dead are there. 

That in the vales of the under-world are her guests. 



XII. 

Various unconnected proverbs. — Ch. x. -xxii. 16. 

1 The Proverbs of Solomon. 

A wise son makes a glad father. 

But a foolish son is the grief of his mother. 

2 Treasures of wickedness do not profit ; 
But righteousness delivers from death. 

3 Jehovah will not suffer the righteous to famish ; 
But he disappoints the craving of the wicked. 

4 He that works with a slack hand becomes poor ; 
But the hand of the diligent makes rich. 

5 He that gathers in summer is a wise son ; 

But he that sleeps in harvest is a son causing shame. 



Ch. X.] THE PROVERBS. 21 

6 Blessings are upon the head of the just ; 

But violence shall cover the mouth of the wicked. 

7 The memory of the righteous man is blessed ; 
But the name of the wicked shall rot. 

8 He who is wise in heart receives precepts ; 
But the foolish talker falls headlong. 

9 He that walks uprightly walks securely ; 

But he that perverts his ways shall be punished. 

10 He that winks with the eye causes sorrow ; 
And a 4>olish talker falls headlong. 

11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life ; 
But violence shall cover the mouth of the wicked. 

12 Hatred stirs up strife ; 

But love covers all offences. 

13 Upon the lips of a man of understanding wisdom is found ; 
But a rod is for the back of him that is void of under- 
standing. 

14 Wise men treasure up knowledge ; 

But the mouth of the foolish is near destruction. 

15 The rich man's wealth is his strong city ; 
Their poverty is dismay to the poor. 

16 The earnings of the righteous minister to life ; 
The revenues of the wicked to ruin. 

17 He that keeps instruction is in the path of life ; 
But he that refuses reproof goes astray. 

18 He that hides hatred hath lying lips ; 
And he that utters slander is a fool. 



22 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. x. 

19 In the multitude of words there wants not offence ; 
But he that restrains his lips is wise. 

20 The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver ; 
The understanding of the wicked is of little worth. 

21 The lips of the righteous feed many ; 
But fools die through want of wisdom. 

22 It is the blessing of Jehovah that makes rich, 
And he adds no sorrow with it. 

23 It is as sport to a fool to do mischief ; 

But a man of understanding has wisdom. ^ 

24 The fear of the wicked shall come upon him ; 
But the desire of the righteous shall be granted. 

25 As the whirlwind passes by, so is the wicked no more ; 
But the righteous is an everlasting foundation. 

26 As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes. 
So is the sluggard to them that send him. 

27 The fear of Jehovah prolongs life ; 

But the years of the wicked shall be shortened. 

28 The hope of the righteous shall be gladness ; 

But the expectation of the wicked shall come to nothing, 

29 Jehovah is strength to him that is upright in his way ; 
But he is destruction to them that do iniquity. 

30 The righteous shall never be moved ; 
But the wicked shall not dwell in the land. 

31 The mouth of the righteous man yields wisdom ; 
But the perverse tongue shall be cut off. 



Ch. XI.] THE PROVERBS. 23 

32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable ; 
But the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse. 

1 False scales are an abomination to Jehovah ; 
But a perfect weight is his delight. 

2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace ; 
But with the humble is wisdom. 

3 The integrity of the upright shall guide them ; 

But the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them. 

4 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath ; 
But righteousness delivers from death. 

5 The righteousness of the good man makes his way plain ; 
But the wicked falls through his own wickedness. 

6 The righteousness of the upright delivers them ; 
But transgressors are caught in their own mischief. 

7 When the wicked man dies, his hope comes to an end, 
Yea, the expectation of the unjust comes to an end. 

8 The righteous man is delivered from trouble. 
And the wicked comes into it in his stead. 

9 By his mouth the profane man destroys his neighbour ; 
But by the knowledge of the righteous are men delivered. 

10 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices ; 
And when the wicked perish, there is shouting. 

11 By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted ; 
But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. 

12 He who despises his neighbour is void of understanding ; 
A man of discernment holds his peace. 



24 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. xi. 

13 He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets ; 
But he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter. 

14 Where there is no counsel, the people fall ; 
But in a multitude of counsellors there is safety. 

15 He that is surety for another shall smart for it ; 
But he that hates suretiship is sure. 

16 A graceful woman obtains honor, 
As strong men obtain riches. 

17 The merciful man does good to himself ; 
But the cruel man torments his own flesh. 

18 The wicked toils for deceitful wages ; 

But he who sows righteousness shall have a sure reward. 

19 As righteousness tends to life, . 

So he who pursues evil pursues it to his death. 

20 The perverse in heart are the abomination of Jehovah ; 
But the upright in their way are his delight. 

21 Through all generations the wicked shall not go unpun- 

ished ; 
But the posterity of the righteous shall be delivered. 

22 As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, 

So is a beautiful woman v^ho is without discretion. 

23 The desire of the righteous is only good ; 
But the expectation of the wicked is wrath. 

24 There is that scatters, and yet increases ; 

And there is that withholds more than is right, yet he 
comes to want. 



Ch. XII.] THE PROVERBS. 25 

25 The bountiful man shall be enriched, 

And he that waters shall himself be watered. 

26 Him that keeps back bread-corn the people curse ; 
But blessing shall be upon the head of him that sells it. 

27 He, who earnestly seeks good, seeks favor ; 

But he that seeks mischief, it shall come upon him. 

28 He who trusts in his riches shall fall ; 
But the righteous shall flourish as a leaf. 

29 He that harasses his household shall inherit wind, 
And the fool shall be the servant of the wise. 

30 The fruit of a righteous man is that of a tree of life, 
And the wise man winneth souls. 

31 Behold, the righteous man is requited on earth ; 
Much more the wicked man and the sinner ! 

1 He who loves correction loves knowledge ; 
But he who hates rebuke remains stupid. 

2 The good man obtains favor from Jehovah ; 
But the man of wicked devices he condemns. 

3 A man shall not be established by wickedness ; 
But the root of the righteous shall not be moved. 

4 A good wife is the crown of her husband ; 

But she who causes shame is as rottenness in his bones. 

5 The purposes of the righteous are just ; 
The designs of the wicked are deceitful. 

6 The words of the wicked lie in wait for men's blood ; 
But the mouth of the upright delivers them. 

3 



26 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. xii. 

7 The wicked are overthrown, and are no more ; 
But the house of the righteous shall stand. 

8 A man will be commended according to his wisdom ; 
But he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised. 

9 Better is he that demeans himself, and has a servant, 
Than he that exalts himself, and has no bread. 

10 The righteous man regards the desires of his beast ; 
But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. 

11 He who tills his own land shall be satisfied with bread ; 
But he who follows worthless persons is void of under- 
standing. 

12 The wicked man longs after the prey of evil-doers : 
But the root of the righteous yields fruit. 

13 In the transgression of the lips is a dangerous snare ; 
But the righteous man shall escape from trouble. 

14 By the fruit of a man's mouth he shall be filled with good, 
And the recompense of a man's hands shall be rendered 

unto him. 

15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes ; 
But he that hearkens to counsel is wise. 

16 A fool's wrath is instantly known ; 
But he that hides insult is wise. 

17 He that speaks truth testifies what is right ; 
But a false witness deceit. 

18 There is who speaks rashly, like the piercing of a sword ; 
But the tongue of the wise is health. 



Ch. XIII.] THE PROVERBS. 27 

19 The lip of truth shall be established for ever ; 
But the tongue of falsehood only for a moment. 

20 Deceit is in the heart of those who contrive evil ; 
But to those who counsel peace shall be joy. 

21 There shall no evil happen to the righteous ; 
But the wicked shall be filled with calamity. 

22 False lips are the abomination of Jehovah ; 
But they that deal truly are his delight. 

23 A prudent man conceals his knowledge ; 

But the heart of fools proclaims their foolishness. 

24 The hand of the diligent shall bear rule ; 
But the slothful shall be under tribute. 

25 Anxiety in the heart of a man bows it down ; 
But a kind word makes it glad. 

26 The righteous becomes superior to his neighbour ; 
But the way of the wicked causes them to err. 

27 The slothful man takes not that which he hunts ; 
But a diligent man has precious substance. 

28 In the path of righteousness is life ; 
Yea, in her pathway there is no death. 

1 A wise son hearkens to the instruction of his father ; 
But a scoffer hearkens not to rebuke. 

2 By the fruit of a man's mouth he shall eat good ; 

But the appetite of transgressors shall be sated with vio- 
lence. 

3 He who keeps his mouth keeps his life ; 

But destruction shall be to him who opens wide his lips. 



28 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. xiii. 

4 The appetite of the sluggard longs, and has nothing ; 
But the appetite of the diligent is fully satisfied. 

5 The righteous man hates falsehood ; 

But the wicked man is loathsome and comes to shame. 

6 Righteousness preserves him who is upright in his way ; 
But wickedness causes the sinner to slip. 

7 There is who makes himself rich, yet has nothing, — 
Who makes himself poor, yet hath great riches. 

8 A man's wealth is the ransom of his life ; 
But the poor man hears no threatenings. 

9 The light of the righteous shall rejoice ; 
But the lamp of the wicked shall be put out. 

10 By pride comes only contention ; 
But with the well advised is wisdom. 

11 Wealth dwindles away sooner than a breath ; 
But he who gathers it into his hands increases it. 

12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick ; 

But the desire accomplished is a tree of life. 

13 He that despises the word shall be destroyed ; 

But he who reverences the commandment shall be re- 
warded. 

14 The instruction of the wise is a fountain of life ; 
By it men depart from the snares of death. 

15 A good understanding wins favor ; 
But the way of transgressors is hard. 

16 Every prudent man acts with knowledge ; 
But a fool spreads abroad his folly. 



Ch. XIV.] THE PROVERBS. 29 

17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble ; 
But a faithful ambassador is health. 

18 Poverty and shame are for him that rejects instruction ; 
But he that regards reproof shall come to honor. 

19 The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul ; 

But it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil. 

20 He that walks with wise men shall be wise ; 
But the companion of fools shall be destroyed. 

21 Calamity pursues the wicked ; 

But the righteous is rewarded with good. 

22 The good man leaves his substance to his children's 

children ; 
But the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. 

23 There is much food from th6 tilled land of the poor ; 
But there is who is brought low for want of uprightness. 

24 He that spares the rod hates his son ; 

But he who loves him chastens him early.. 

25 The righteous man eats to the satisfying of his desire ; 
But the stomach of the wicked suffers want. 

1 The wise woman builds her house ; 

But the foolish tears it down with her hands. 

2 He that walks in uprightness fears Jehovah ; 
But he who is perverse in his ways despises him. 

3 In the mouth of the foolish is a scourge of his pride ; 
But the lips of the wise preserve them. 

4 Where there are no oxen, the fodder-loft is clean ; 
But there is great increase by the strength of the ox. 

3* 



30 THE PROVERBSr [Ch. xiv. 

5 A faithful witness does not lie ; 
But a false witness pours forth lies. 

6 The scoffer seeks wisdom, and finds it not ; 

But knowledge is easy to the man of understanding. 

7 Go from the presence of a foolish man, 

In whom thou perceivest not the lips of knowledge. 

8 The wisdom of the prudent is in giving heed to his way ; 
But the folly of fools is deceit. 

9 Fools make a mock at sin ; 
But with the upright is favor. 

10 The heart knows its own bitterness, 

And no stranger intermeddles with its joy. 

11 The house of the wicked shall be destroyed ; 
But the tent of the upright shall flourish. 

12 There is a way which seems right to a man. 
But its end is the way to death. 

13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful, 
And the end of joy is grief. 

14 The perverse in heart shall be filled with his own ways ; 
And from himself shall the good man be satisfied. 

15 The simple man believes every word ; 
But the prudent looks well to his steps. 

16 The wise man fears, and departs from evil ; 
But the fool is haughty and confident. 

17 He who is soon angry will commit folly ; 
And the man of wicked devices will be hated. 



Ch. XIV.] THE PROVERBS. 31 

18 The simple inherit folly ; 

But the prudent are crowned with knowledge. 

19 The evil bow before the good ; 

Yea, the wicked at the gates of the righteous. 

20 The poor is hated even by his own neighbour ; 
But the rich has nnany friends. 

21 He who despises his neighbour sins ; 

But happy is he who hath mercy on the poor. 

22 Do not they who devise evil perish ? 

And do not they who devise good meet with kindness and 
truth ? 

23 In all labor there is profit ; 

But the talk of the lips tends only to penury. 

24 Riches are a crown to the wise ; 
But the promotion of fools is folly. 

25 A true witness saves lives ; 

But a deceitful witness pours forth lies. 

26 In the fear of Jehovah is strong confidence ; 
Yea, to his children he will be a refuge. 

27 The fear of Jehovah is a fountain of life ; 
By it men avoid the snares of death. 

28 In a numerous people consists the glory of a king ; 
But the want of subjects is the destruction of a prince. 

29 He who is slow to anger is of great understanding ; 
But he who is of a hasty spirit proclaims folly. 

30 A quiet heart is the life of the flesh ; 
But envy is rottenness to the bones. 



32 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. xv. 

31 He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker; 
But he who has mercy on the poor honors him. 

32 By his wickedness the wicked is thrust down ; 
But the righteous has hope even in death. 

33 Wisdom rests quietly in the heart of the wise ; 
But in the breast of fools it has a loud sound. 

34 Righteousness exalts a people ; 
And the reproach of nations is sin. 

35 The king's favor is toward a wise servant ; 
But his wrath is against him that causes shame. 

1 A soft answer turns away wrath ; 
But harsh words stir up anger. 

2 The tongue of the wise makes knowledge pleasing ; 
But the mouth of fools pours forth folly. 

3 The eyes of Jehovah are in every place ; 
They behold the evil and the good. 

4 A mild tongue is a tree of life ; 

But perverseness therein is a wound in the spirit. 

5 The fool despises the correction of his father ; 
But he that regards reproof is prudent. 

6 In the house of the righteous is much wealth ; 
But in the revenues of the wicked there is trouble. 

7 The lips of the wise spread abroad knowledge ; 
But the heart of the foolish what is not sound. 

8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to Jehovah ; 
But the prayer of the righteous is his delight. 



Ch. XV ] THE PROVERBS. 33 

9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to Jehovah ; 
But him who follows after righteousness he loves. 

10 Sore correction shall be to him that forsakes the way ; 
He that hates reproof shall die. 

11 The under-world, yea, the region of death, is before 

Jehovah ; 
How much more the hearts of the sons of men ! 

12 The scoffer loves not him that reproves him ; 
He resorts not to the wise. 

13 A joyous heart makes a bright countenance ; 
But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. 

14 The heart of the man of understanding seeks knowledge ; 
But the mouth of fools feeds upon folly. 

15 The days of the afflicted are all evil ; 

But he that has a cheerful heart has a continual feast. 

16 Better is a little, with the fear of Jehovah, 
Than much treasure, and trouble therewith. 

17 Better is a dinner of herbs, where there is love, 
Than the fatted ox, and hatred with it. 

18 The passionate man stirs up strife ; 

But he who is slow to anger appeases strife. 

19 The way of the slothful is as a hedge of thorns ; 
But the path of the righteous is smooth. 

20 A wise son gladdens his father ; 

But a foolish man despises his mother. 

21 Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom ; 
But the man of understanding walks uprightly. 



34 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. xvi. 

22 Without counsel plans come to naught ; 

But with a multitude of counsellors they are established. 

23 A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth ; 
And a word in due season, how good is it ! 

24 The path of life leads upward for the wise, 
So that he departs from the pit beneath. 

25 Jehovah destroys the house of the proud ; 

But he fixes firmly the landmark of the widow. 

26 Evil devices are an abomination to Jehovah ; 
But pleasant words are pure. 

27 He who is greedy of gain troubles his own house ; 
But he who hates gifts shall live. 

28 The heart of the righteous meditates upon his answer ; 
But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things. 

29 Jehovah is far from the wicked ; 

But he hears the prayer of the righteous. 

30 A smiling countenance rejoices the heart, 
And good tidings make the bones fat. 

31 The ear that hearkens to the reproof of life 
Shall dwell among the wise. 

32 He that refuses instruction despises his own life ; 
But he that hearkens to rebuke gets understanding. 

33 The fear of Jehovah guides to wisdom, 
And before honor is humility. 

1 To man belongs the preparation of the heart ; 
But the answer of the tongue is from Jehovah. 



Ch. XVI.] THE PROVERBS. SS 

2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes ; 
But Jehovah weighs the spirit. 

3 Commit thy doings to Jehovah, 

And thy purposes shall be established. 

4 Jehovah has ordained every thing for its end ; 
Even the wicked for the day of evil. 

5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to 

Jehovah ; 
From generation to generation he shall not be unpunished. 

6 Through kindness and truth iniquity is forgiven, 

And through the fear of Jehovah men depart from evil. 

7 When a man's ways please Jehovah, 

He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. 

8 Better is a little, with righteousness. 
Than great revenues, without right. 

9 The heart of man devises his way. 
But Jehovah establishes his steps. 

10 A divine sentence is upon the lips of the king ; 
His mouth transgresses not in judgment. 

11 A just balance and scales are the appointment of Jehovah ; 
All the weights of the bag are his work. 

12 The doing of wickedness is an abomination to kings ; 
For by righteousness is the throne established. 

13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings. 
And they love him who speaks right things. 

14 The wrath of the king is like messengers of death ; 
But a wise man will pacify it. 



36 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. xvi. 

15 In the light of the king's countenance is hfe, 

And his favor is like a cloud bringing the latter rain. 

16 How much better is it to get wisdom than gold ! 

Yea, to get understanding is rather to be chosen than sil- 
ver. 

17 It is the highway of the upright to depart from evil ; 
He that takes heed to his way preserves his life. 

18 Pride goes before destruction, 
And a haughty spirit before a fall. 

19 Better is it to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, 
Than to share the spoil with the proud. 

20 He who gives heed to the word shall find success ; 
And he who trusts in Jehovah, happy is he ! 

21 The wise in heart shall be called intelligent. 
And the sweetness of the lips increases learning. 

22 Understanding is a wellspring of life to him that has it ; 
And the chastisement of fools is their folly. 

23 The heart of the wise man instructs his mouth 
And adds learning to his lips. 

24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, 
Sweet to the taste, health to the bones. 

25 There is a way which seems right to a man, 
But its end is the way to death. 

26 He that labors labors for himself ; 
For his mouth urges him on. 

27 A worthless man devises mischief, 

And upon his lips there is, as it were, a burning fire. 



Ch. XVII.] THE PROVERBS. 37 

28 A deceitful man stirs up strife, 
And a whisperer separates friends. 

29 A man of violence entices his neighbour, 
And leads him into a way which is not good. 

30 He shuts his eyes to devise fraud ; 

He bites his lips ; he has accomplished the mischief ! 

31 The hoary head is a crown of glory, 

If it be found in the way of righteousness. 

32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty ; 
And he who rules his spirit, than he that takes a city. 

33 The lot is cast into the lap ; 

But the whole decision thereof is from Jehovah. 

1 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, 
Than a house full of banquets with strife. 

2 A prudent servant rules over a son who causes shame ; 
Yea, with brothers he shares the inheritance. 

3 The refining-pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold ; 
But Jehovah tries hearts. 

4 He is an evil-doer who listens to false lips ; 
He is a liar who gives ear to a wicked tongue. 

5 Whoso mocks the poor reproaches his Maker ; 

He that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished. 

6 Children's children are the crown of the aged, 
And their fathers the glory of sons. 

7 Excellent speech becomes not a fool ; 
How much less lying lips the noble ! 



38 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. xvii. 

8 A gift is a precious stone in the eyes of him who takes it ; 
Whithersoever it turns, it has success. 

9 He that covers offences seeks love ; 

But he that repeats a matter separates friends. 

]0 A reproof penetrates deeper into a wise man 
Than a hundred stripes into a fool. 

n A rebellious man seeks only evil ; 

Therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him. 

12 Let a man meet a bear robbed of her whelps, 
Rather than a fool in his folly. 

13 Whoso returns evil for good, 

Evil shall not depart from his house. 

14 The beginning of strife is as when one lets out water ; 
Therefore, before contention breaks out, give it up. 

15 He that justifies the wicked, 
And he that condemns the just. 

Both alike are an abomination to Jehovah. 

16 To what purpose is money in the hand of a fool ? 
To get wisdom ? It is sense that is wanting ! 

17 A friend loves at all times ; 

But in adversity he is born a brother. 

18 A man void of understanding strikes hands, 
And becomes surety for another. 

19 He who loves offence loves quarrels ; 
He who raises high his gate seeks ruin. 

20 He that is of a deceitful heart finds no good ; 
And he that has a false tongue falls into mischief. 



Ch.xviii.] the proverbs. 39 

21 The fool causes grief to him that begot him ; 
Yea, the father of the fool has no joy. 

22 A merry heart is a good medicine ; 
But a broken spirit dries up the bones. 

23 The wicked man takes a gift out of the bosom, 
To pervert the ways of judgment. 

24 Wisdom is before the face of him that has understanding ; 
But the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth. 

25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, 
And bitterness to her that bore him. 

26 Moreover, to fine the righteous is not good. 
Nor to smite the noble for their rectitude. 

27 He that spares his words is imbued with knowledge ; 
And he that has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. 

28 Even a fool, when he is silent, is accounted wise ; 
He that shuts his lips is a man of understanding. 

1 He who separates himself from others seeks his own desire ; 
He is offended with all sound wisdom. 

2 The fool has no delight in understanding, 
But rather in revealing his own mind. 

3 When a wicked man comes, there comes also contempt, 
And with baseness, shame. 

4 The words of a man's mouth are deep waters. 
And the wellspring of wisdom an overflowing brook. 

5 It is not good to be partial to the wicked. 

So as to overthrow the righteous in judgment. 



40 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. xviii. 

6 The lips of a fool enter into contention, 
And his mouth calls for blows. 

7 A fool's mouth is his destruction, 
And his lips are a snare for his life. 

8 The words of a talebearer are like dainties ; 

For they go down to the innermost parts of the body. 

9 Moreover, he that is slothful in his work 
Is brother to him that is a great waster. 

10 The name of Jehovah is a strong tower ; 
The righteous runs to it and is safe. 

11 The rich man's wealth is his strong city, 
And as a high wall, in his own conceit. 

12 Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, 
And before honor is humility. 

13 He who gives an answer before he has heard. 
It is folly and shame to him. 

14 The spirit of a man will sustain his disease ; 
But a wounded spirit who can bear ? 

15 The heart of the intelligent gets knowledge. 
And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. 

16 A gift makes room for a man. 

And brings him into the presence of the great. 

17 He that first pleads his cause appears just ; 

But his opponent comes, and searches him through,. 

18 The lot causes contentions to cease, 
And parts asunder the mighty. 



Ch. XIX.] THE PROVERBS. 4I 

19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city ; 
Yea, their contentions are like the bars of a castle. 

20 With the fruit of a man's mouth shall his stomach be 

filled ; 
He shall be filled with the produce of his lips. 

21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue ; 
- They that love it shall eat its fruit. 

22 He that finds a wife finds a blessing, 
And obtains favor from Jehovah. 

23 The poor uses entreaties ; 
But the rich answers roughly. 

24 A man of many associates brings upon himself ruin ; 
Yet there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. 

1 Better is a poor man v^ho walks in his integrity. 
Than he who is of false lips and a fool. 

2 Moreover, without knowledge zeal is not good. 
And he that hastes with his feet stumbles. 

3 The folly of man perverts his way, 
And then his heart frets against Jehovah. 

4 Wealth makes many friends ; 

But the poor is separated from his neighbour. 

5 A false witness shall not be unpunished. 
And he that speaks lies shall not escape. 

6 Many are they who caress the liberal. 

And every one is the friend of him who gives gifts. 



42 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. xix. 

7 All the brethren of the poor man hate him ; 
How much more do his friends go far from him ! 
He follows after their words, — they are gone ! 

8 He that gets wisdom loves himself; 

He that keeps understanding shall find good. 

9 A false witness shall not be unpunished, 
And he that speaks lies shall perish. 

10 Luxury is not seemly for a fool ; 

Much less should a servant have rule over princes. 

11 A man of understanding is slow to anger ; 
Yea, it is his glory to pass over an offence. 

12 The wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion ; 
But his favor like dew upon the grass. 

13 A foolish son is a calamity to his father, 

And the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping. 

14 Houses and riches are inherited from fathers ; 
But a prudent wife is from Jehovah. 

15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep. 
And the idle person shall suffer hunger. 

16 He that keeps the commandment keeps his life ; 
But he that neglects his ways shall die. 

17 He who hath pity on the poor lends to Jehovah, 
And that which he gives will he repay him. 

18 Chasten thy son while there is hope. 
And let not thy soul desire his death. 

19 A man of great wrath will suffer punishment ; 
For if thou deliver him, yet must thou do it again. 



Ch. XX.] THE PROVERBS. 43 

20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction, 
That thou mayst be wise in thy latter years. 

21 Many are the devices in the heart of a man ; 
But the purpose of Jehovah, that shall stand. 

22 That which makes a man beloved is kindness ; 
But a poor man is better than a man of deceit. 

23 The fear of Jehovah tends to life. 
And he that has it shall abide satisfied ; 
He shall not be visited v^^ith evil. 

24 The slothful man dips his hand into the dish ; 
He does not bring it back even to his mouth. 

25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become prudent ; 
Reprove a man of understanding, and he will discern 

knowledge. 

26 The son that causes shame and disgrace plunders his 

father 
And chases away his mother. 

27 Cease, my son, to listen to the instruction 

That causes thee to wander from the words of knowledge ! 

28 A worthless witness scoffs at justice. 

And the mouth of the wicked swallows down iniquity. 

29 Punishments are prepared for scoffers. 
And stripes for the back of fools. 

1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler. 
And he that reels with it is not wise. 

2 The terror of a king is like the roaring of a lion ; 
He that rages against him sins against himself. 



44 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. xx. 

3 It is an honor to a man to cease from strife ; 
But every fool is contentious. 

4 The sluggard will not plough by reason of the cold ; 
Therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing. 

5 A design in the heart of a man is like deep v^ater ; 
But a man of understanding draws it out. 

6 Many will proclaim their own kindness ; 
But a faithful man who can find ? 

7 The righteous man walks in integrity ; 
Happy will be his children after him ! 

8 The king, sitting upon the throne of judgment, 
With his eyes scatters all the wicked like chaff. 

9 Who can say, " I have kept my heart clean ; 
I am free from sin ? " 

10 Divers weights and divers measures, — 
Both of them are an abomination to Jehovah. 

11 Even in childhood one makes himself known by his doings, 
Whether his actions will be pure and right. 

12 The ear that hears, and the eye that sees, — 
Jehovah made them both. 

13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty ; 

Open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread. 

14 " Naught ! naught ! " says the buyer ; 

But when he has gone his way, then he boasts. 

15 There is gold and abundance of pearls ; 

But the lips of knowledge are the precious casket. 



Ch. XX.] THE PROVERBS. 45 

16 Take his garment who is surety for another ; 

Yea, take a pledge of him who is bound for a stranger. 

17 The bread of falsehood is sweet to a man ; 
But afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel. 

18 Purposes are established by counsel ; 
Therefore with good advice make war. 

19 He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets ; 
Therefore associate not with him who keeps open his lips. 

20 Whoso curses his father or his mother, 

His lamp shall be put out in midnight darkness. 

21 A possession, gotten hastily at the first, 
In the end shall not be blessed. 

22 Say not thou, " I will repay evil " ; 
Wait on Jehovah, and he will help thee. 

23 Divers weights are an abomination to Jehovah, 
And a false balance is not good. 

24 A man's steps are from Jehovah ; 

How, then, can a man understand his way ? 

25 It is a snare to a man rashly to utter what is holy, 
And after vows to consider. 

26 A wise king scatters the wicked like chaff. 

And brings over them the v^heel [of the thrashing- wain]. 

27 The spirit of a man is the lamp of Jehovah, 
Which searches all the chambers of the body. 

28 Mercy and truth preserve the king ; 
Yea, his throne is upholden by mercy. 



4$ THE PROVERBS. [Ch. xxi. 

29 The glory of young men is their strength, 
And the beauty of old men is the gray head. 

30 The scars of a wound are a cleansing from evil ; 

Yea, the stripes which reach to the chambers of the body. 

1 As streams of water. 

So is the heart of the king in the hand of Jehovah ; 
He turns it whithersoever he will. 

2 All the ways of a man are right in his own eyes ; 
But Jehovah weighs the heart. 

3 To do justice and equity 

Is more acceptable to Jehovah than sacrifice. 

4 The lofty look, the proud heart, 

Yea, the splendor of the wicked, is ruin. 

5 The plans of the active tend only to plenteousness ; 
But the hasty hastens only to want. 

6 The getting of treasures by a false tongue 

Is the scattered breath of them that seek death. 

7 The rapine of the wicked shall snatch them away, 
Because they refuse to do justice. 

8 The way of the guilty man is crooked ; 
But he that is pure, his doings are right. 

9 Better is it to dwell in a corner of the housetop 
Than with a brawling woman in a large house. 

10 The soul of the wicked longs to do evil ; 
His neighbour finds no favor in his eyes. 

n When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise ; 
When one instructs the vvrise man, he receives knowledge. 



Ch. XXI.] THE PROVERBS. 47 

12 The righteous man has regard to the house of the wicked ; 
He causes the wicked to fall into ruin. 

13 Whoso stops his ears at the cry of the poor, 
He also shall cry aloud, but shall not be heard. 

14 A gift offered in secret pacifies anger ; 

Yea, a present, put into the bosom, strong wrath. 

15 It is joy to the righteous man to do what is right ; 
But destruction is for them that do iniquity. 

16 The man who wanders from the way of understanding 
Shall rest in the assembly of the dead. 

17 He that loves pleasure will be a poor man ; 
He that loves wine and oil will not be rich. 

IS The wicked man shall be a ransom for the righteous ; 
Yea, the transgressor shall suffer instead of the upright. 

19 It is better to dwell in a desert land 

Than with a contentious and fretful woman. 

20 Precious treasure and oil are in the dwelling of the wise ; 
But the foolish man swallows them up. 

21 He who follows after righteousness and mercy 
Shall find life, righteousness, and honor. 

22 A wise man scales the city of the mighty, 

And brings down the strength in which it trusted. 

23 Whoso keeps his mouth and his tongue 
Keeps his soul from trouble. 

24 The proud and haughty, scoffer is his name ; 
He acts with excess of insolence. 



48 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. xxii. 

25 The wishes of the slothful man are the death of him, 
Because his hands refuse to labor. 

26 All the day long the covetous man is craving ; 
But the righteous man gives, and withholds not. 

27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination ; 

How much more wiien he brings it with an evil design ! 

2S A false witness shall perish ; 

But the man that hears shall always speak. 

29 The wicked man hardens his face ; 
But the upright directs his way. 

30 Wisdom is nothing, and understanding is nothing, 
And devices are nothing, against Jehovah. 

31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle ; 
But victory is from Jehovah. 

1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches ; 
And better is good-will than silver and gold. 

2 The rich and the poor meet together ; 
Jehovah is the Maker of them all. 

3 The prudent man sees the evil, and hides himself; 
But the simple pass on, and are. punished. 

4 By humility and the fear of Jehovah 
Are riches, and honor, and life. 

5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the deceitful ; 
He that will preserve his life will be far from them. 

6 Train up a child in the way he should go. 
And when he is old he will not depart from it. 



Ch. XXII.] THE PROVERBS. 49 

7 The rich rules over the poor, 

And the borrower is servant to the lender. 

8 He who sows iniquity shall reap calamity, 
And the rod of his punishment is prepared. 

9 He who has a bountiful eye shall be blessed ; 
Because he gives of his bread to the poor. 

10 Cast out the scoffer, and contention will go out ; 
Yea, strife and reproach will cease. 

11 He who loves purity of heart, 

Grace is upon his lips, and the king will be his friend. 

12 The eyes of Jehovah watch over knowledge ; 
But he overthrows the words of the treacherous. 

13 The slothful man man says, " There is a lion without ; 
I shall be slain in the streets." 

14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit ; 

He, with whom Jehovah is angry, shall fall therein. 

15 Folly is bound to the heart of a child ; 

But the rod of correction will drive it far from him. 

16 He that oppresses the poor to increase his wealth, 

And he that gives to the rich, shall surely come to want. 



50 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. xxii. 

XIII. 

Other Proverbs. — Ch. xxii. 17- xxiv. 22. 

17 Incline thine ear and hear the words of the wise, 
And give heed to my instruction ! 

18 For it will be a pleasant thing, if thou keep them in thy 

bosom. 
If they all be established upon thy lips. 

19 That thy trust may be in Jehovah, 

I have this day given to thee instruction, yea, to thee. 

20 Behold, I have written to thee excellent things. 
Concerning conduct and knowledge ; 

21 That I might make thee know rectitude, and words of 

truth. 
That thou mayst bring back words of truth to them that 
send thee. 

22 Rob not the poor man, because he is poor. 
Nor crush thou the destitute at the gate ; 

23 For Jehovah will maintain their cause, 
And spoil of life those that spoiled them. 

24 Make no friendship with a passionate man. 
Nor associate with a man prone to wrath ; 

25 Lest thou learn his ways. 
And take to thyself a snare. 

26 Be not thou one of those who strike hands, — 
Of those who are sureties for debts. 

27 When thou hast nothing with which to pay. 
Why should thy bed be taken from under thee ? 

28 Remove not the ancient landmark, 
Which thy fathers have made. 



Ch. XXIII.] THE PROVERBS. 51 

29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business ? 
He shall be the minister of kings ; 
He shall not serve obscure persons. 

1 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, 
Consider well in whose presence thou art ; 

2 And put a knife to thy throat, 

If thou art a man given to appetite ! 

3 Long not for his dainties. 
For they are deceitful meat. 

4 Toil not to become rich ; 
Cease from this, thy wisdom. 

5 Wilt thou let thine eyes pursue that which is not ? 
For riches make to themselves wings ; 

They fly away like the eagle toward heaven. 

6 Eat not the bread of him that has an evil eye. 
Nor long for his dainties ; 

7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. 
"Eat and drink ! '^ says he to thee ; 
But his heart is not with thee. 

8 The morsel, which thou hast eaten, thou shalt vomit up. 
And thou wilt have thrown away thy pleasant words. 

9 Speak not in the ears of a fool ; 

For he will despise the wisdom of thy words. 

10 Remove not the ancient landmark. 

And enter not into the fields of the fatherless ! 

11 For their avenger is mighty ; 

He will maintain their cause against thee. 

12 Apply thy heart to instruction. 

And thine ears to the words of knowledge. 



52 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. xxiii. 

13 Withhold not correction from a child ; 

If thou beat him with the rod, he will not die. 

14 Do thou beat him with the rod, 

And thou shalt rescue him from the under-world. 

15 My son, if thy heart be wise. 

My heart shall rejoice, even mine ; 

16 Yea, my reins shall exult. 
When thy lips speak right things. 

17 Let not thy heart envy sinners. 

But continue thou in the fear of Jehovah all the day long ; 

18 For surely there shall be a reward, 

And thine expectation shall not be cut off. 

19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, 
And guide thy heart in the right way ! 

20 Be not thou among winebibbers, 

Among those who are prodigal of their flesh ; 

21 For the drunkard and the prodigal shall come to poverty, 
And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags, 

22 Hearken to thy father, who begat thee. 
And despise not thy mother when she is old. 

23 Buy truth, and sell it not ; 

Buy wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. 

24 The father of a righteous man shall greatly rejoice ; 
Yea, he who begets a wise child shall have joy in him. 

25 Let thy father and thy mother have joy ; 
Yea, let her that bore thee rejoice. . 

26 My son, give me thy heart, 

And let thine eyes observe my ways ! 



Ch. XXIV.] THE PROVERBS. 53 

27 For a harlot is a deep pit ; 

Yea, a strange woman is a narrow well. 

28 She lies in wait also like a robber, 
And gathers the faithless among men. 

29 Who has woe ? Who has sorrow ? 

Who has contentions ? Who has anxiety ? 
Who has wounds without cause ? Who has dimness of 
eyes ? 

30 They that tarry long at the wine ; 
They that go about to seek mixed wine. 

31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red. 
When it sparkles in the cup. 

When it goes down smoothly. 

32 At the last it bites like a serpent, 
And stings like an adder. 

33 Thine eyes will look upon strange women, 
And thy heart will utter perverse things. 

34 Yea, thou shalt be as one that lies down in the midst of 

the sea. 
And as one that lies down upon the top of a mast. 

35 " They have stricken me, — I suffered no pain ! 
They have beaten me, — I felt it not ! 

When shall I awake ? I will seek it yet again." 

1 Be not thou envious of wicked men, 
And desire not to be with them ! 

2 For their heart studies destruction. 
And their lips talk of mischief. 

3 Through wisdom is a house builded. 
And by understanding is it established ; 

4 Yea, by knowledge are the chambers filled 
With all precious and goodly substance. 

5* 



54 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. xxiv. 

5 The wise man is strong ; 

Yea, the man of understanding establishes his strength. 

6 For by wise counsel shalt thou make war, 

And by the multitude of counsellors comes success. 

7 Wisdom is too high for the fool ; 
He opens not his mouth at the gate. 

8 He that devises to do evil 

Shall be called a mischief-maker. 

9 The purpose of folly is sin ; 

But the scoffer is an abomination to men. 

10 If thy spirit faint in the day of adversity, 
Faint will be thy strength. 

11 To deliver those that are dragged to death, 
Those that totter to the slaughter, 

Spare thyself not ! 

12 If thou sayst, " Behold, we knew it not ! " 
Doth not he that weighs the heart observe it ? 
Yea, he that keeps thy soul knows it, 

And he will render to every man according to his works. 

13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good. 

And the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste ; 

14 So learn thou wisdom for thy soul ! 

When thou hast found it, then shall there be a reward, 
And thy expectation shall not be cut off. 

15 Plot not, O wicked man, against the habitation of the 

righteous ; 
Spoil not his resting-place ! 

16 For though the righteous fall seven times, yet shall he rise 

up again ; 
But the wicked shall fall into mischief. 



Ch.xxiv.] the proverbs. 55 

17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falls, 

And let not thy heart be glad when he stumbles, 

18 Lest Jehovah see, and it displease him. 
And he turn away his anger from him. 

19 Fret not thyself on account of evil men. 
Neither be thou envious of the wicked ; 

20 For there shall be no reward for the evil man ; 
The lamp of the wicked shall be put out. 

21 My son, fear thou Jehovah and the king. 

And associate not with them that are given to change ! 

22 For their calamity shall rise up suddenly. 

And their ruin, proceeding from both, in a moment. 



XIV. 

Other Proverbs. — Ch. xxiv. 23 - 34. 

23 These also are words of the wise. 

It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment. 

24 They that say to the wicked, " Thou art righteous," 
Them shall the people curse ; 

Nations shall abhor them. 

25 But it shall be well with them that punish him. 

And the blessing of prosperity shall come upon them. 

26 He that gives a right answer 
Kisses the lips. 

27 Arrange thy work without, 
And prepare it in thy field, — 
Afterwards thou mayst build thy house. 



56 THE PROVERBS. [Ch.xxv. 

28 Be not a witness, without cause, against thy neighbour, 
And deceive not with thy lips. 

29 Say not, " As he hath done to me. 
So will I do to him ; 

I will render to the man according to his doings." 

30 I passed by the field of the slothful. 

And by the vineyard of the man void of understanding, 

31 And lo, it was all overgrown with thorns, 
And the face thereof was covered with nettles, 
And the stone wall thereof was broken down. 

32 Then I saw, and considered it well ; 

I looked upon it, and received instruction. 

33 " A little sleep, a little slumber ! 

A little folding of the hands to rest ! " 

34 So shall poverty come upon thee like a highwayman ; 
Yea, want like an armed man. 



XV. 

Other Proverbs.— Ch. xxv.-xxix. 

1 These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men 
of Hezekiah, king of Judah, collected. 

2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing ; 

But it is the glory of kings to search out a matter. 

3 As the heavens for their height. 
And as the earth for its depth. 

So is the heart of kings unsearchable ! 



Ch. XXV.] THE PROVERBS. 57 

4 Take away the dross from the silver, 

And there will come forth a vessel for the founder. 

5 Take away the wicked man from the presence of the king, 
And his throne will be established by righteousness. 

6 Put not thyself forth in the presence of the king, 
Nor station thyself in the place of great men ; 

7 For better is it that one should say to thee, 
" Come up hither ! " 

Than that he should put thee in a lower place. 

In the presence of the prince, whom thine eyes behold. 

8 Go not forth hastily to engage in a suit. 

Lest thou know not what to do in the end of it. 
When thine adversary hath put thee to shame. 

9 Maintain thy cause with thine adversary, 
But reveal not another's secret ; 

10 Lest he that hears it put thee to shame, 
And thy infamy depart not from thee. 

11 A word spoken in season 

Is like apples of gold with figures of silver. 

12 As a ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold. 
So is a wise reprover to an attentive ear. 

13 As the cold of snow in the time of harvest. 

So is a faithful messenger to them that send him ; 
For he refreshes the spirits of his masters. 

14 As clouds and wind without rain. 

So is the man that falsely boasts of giving. 

15 By long forbearing is a prince appeased ; 
And a soft tongue breaks bones. 



58 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. xxv. 

16 Hast thou found honey ? eat what is sufficient for thee, 
Lest thou be surfeited with it, and vomit it up. 

17 Let thy foot be seldom in the house of thy friend, 
Lest he be surfeited with thee and hate thee. 

18 A battle-hammer, and a sword, and a sharp arrow. 

Is the man who bears false witness against his neighbour. 

19 As a broken tooth, and a wavering foot, 

So is trust in an unfaithful man in time of trouble. 

20 As he that takes off a garment on a cold day. 
As vinegar upon nitre. 

So is he that sings songs to a heavy heart. 

21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat ; 
And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink ; 

22 For thou wilt heap coals of fire upon his head, 
And Jehovah will reward thee. 

23 As the north wind brings forth rain. 

So a backbiting tongue makes an angry countenance. 

24 Better is it to dwell in a corner of the house-top. 
Than with a quarrelsome woman in a large house. 

25 As cold water to the thirsty. 

So is good news from a far country. 

26 As a troubled fountain, and as a corrupted spring. 
So is a righteous man falling before the wicked. 

27 To eat much honey is not good ; 

So the search of high things is weariness. 

28 As a city broken through and without a wall, 
So is he that has no rule over his spirit. 



Ch. XXVI.] THE PROVERBS. 59 

1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, 
So honor is not becoming to a fool. 

2 As the sparrow wanders, and the swallow flies away. 
So the curse, uttered without cause, shall not come. 

3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass. 
And a rod for the back of the fool. 

4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, 
Lest thou also become like to him. 

5 Answer a fool according to his folly. 
That he may not think himself wise. 

6 He that has his feet cut off drinks damage ; 

So is he who sends a message by the hand of a fool. 

7 The legs of a lame man hang loose ; 

So is it with a proverb in the mouth of fools. 

8 As he that puts a purse of gems upon a heap of stones. 
So is he that gives honor to a fool. 

9 As a thorn taken up by the hand of a drunkard. 
So is a proverb in the mouth of fools. 

10 A master brings every thing to pass ; 
But he who hires fools hires wayfarers. 

11 As a dog returns to that which he has vomited. 
So a fool repeats his folly. 

12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit ? 
There is more hope of a fool than of him. 

13 The slothful man says, " There is a lion in the way ; 
There is a lion in the streets." 



60 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. xxvi. 

14 As a door turns upon its hinges, 
So does the slothful upon his bed. 

15 The slothful man dips his hand into the dish ; 
It grieves him to bring it again to his mouth. 

16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit 
Than seven men who can render a reason. . 

17 As one that takes a dog by the ears, 

So is he that passing by becomes enraged on account of 
the quarrel of another. 

18 As a madman 

Who casts about darts, arrows, and death, 

19 So is the man who deceives his neighbour, 
And says, " Was I not in sport ? " 

20 Where there is no wood, the fire goes out ; 

So where there is no talebearer, contention ceases. 

21 As coal is for heat, and as wood for fire. 
So is a contentious man for kindling strife. 

22 The words of a talebearer are like dainties ; 

For they go down to the innermost parts of the body. 

23 As drossy silver overlaying an earthen vessel, 
So are warm lips with an evil heart. 

24 Ah enemy dissembles with his lips. 
And lays up deceit within him. 

25 When he speaks fair, believe him not ! 

For there are seven abominations in his heart. 

26 His hatred is covered by deceit ; 

His wickedness shall be revealed before the great assembly. 

27 He that digs a pit shall fall therein ; 

And he that rolls a stone, it shall return upon him. 



Ch. xxvii] THE PROVERBS. 61 

28 A lying tongue hates those whom it wounds, 
And a flattering mouth works ruin. 

1 Boast not thyself of to-morrow, 

For thou knowest not what a day may bring forth ! 

2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth ; 
A stranger, and not thine own lips. 

3 Stone is heavy and sand weighty ; 
But a fool's wrath is heavier than both. 

4 Wrath is cruel, and anger impetuous ; 
But who is able to stand "before jealousy ? 

5 Better is open rebuke 
Than love kepi concealed. 

6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend ; 
But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. 

7 He who is fed to the full tramples on the honeycomb ; 
But to the hungry any bitter thing is sweet. 

S As a bird that wanders from its nest, 
So is a man who wanders from his dwelling-place. 

9 Oil and perfume gladden the heart ; 
Sweet, too, is a man's friend by hearty counsel. 

10 Thy friend and thy father's friend forsake not, 

And go not into thy brother's house in the day of thy 

calamity. 
Better is a neighbour that is near, than a brother far off. 

11 Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad. 

That I may give an answer to him that reproaches me. 



62 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. xxvii. 

12 A prudent man foresees the evil, and hides himself; 
The simple pass on, and are punished. 

13 Take his garment who is surety for another ; 

Yea, take a pledge of him who is bound for a stranger. 

14 He who blesses his neighbour with a loud voice, rising 

early for it. 
To him it shall be accounted a curse. 

15 A continual dropping in a very rainy day 
And a quarrelsome wife are alike. 

16 He who can restrain her may restrain the wind, 

And conceal the oil upon his right hand, which proclaims 
itself. 

17 Iron sharpens iron ; 

So one man sharpens the face of another. 

18 He that watches the fig-tree shall eat its fruit ; 

So he that is careful for his master shall come to honor. 

19 As in water face answers to face. 
So does the heart of man to man. 

20 The regions of the dead are never full ; 
So the eyes of man are never satisfied. 

21 The refining-pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold ; . 
So let a man be to the mouth that gives him praise. 

22 Though thou shouldst beat a fool in a mortar. 
Among bruised wheat, with a pestle. 

Yet will not his folly depart from him. 

23 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, 
And look well to thy herds ! 



Ch. XXVIII.] THE PROVERBS. 63 

24 For riches last not for ever ; 

Does even the crown endure from generation to generation ? 

25 The hay disappears, and the tender grass shows itself, 
And the herbage of the mountains is gathered in. 

26 The lambs are thy clothing, 

And the goats the price of thy field. 

27 There is goat's milk enough for thy food, 
For the food of thy household. 

And for the sustenance of thy maidens. 

1 The wicked flee when no man pursues ; 
But the righteous is as bold as a lion. 

2 Through the rebellion of a land many are its rulers ; 
But through men of prudence and understanding it shall 

long endure. 

3 A poor man who oppresses the needy 

Is a sweeping rain which leaves no food. 

4 They who forsake the law praise the wicked ; 
But they who keep the law contend with them. 

5 Wicked men understand not equity ; 

But they who seek Jehovah understand all things, 

6 Better is a poor man who walks in uprightness, 

Than he who is perverse in his ways, though he be rich. 

7 He that keeps the law is a wise son ; 

But he that is the companion of prodigals brings shame 
on his father. 

8 He that increases his substance by usurious gain 
Gathers it for him who is kind to the poor. 



64 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. xxviii. 

9 He that turns away his ear from hearing the law, 
Even his prayer is an abomination. 

10 He that causes the righteous to go astray in an evil way 
Shall himself fall into his own pit ; 

But the upright shall have good things in possession. 

11 The rich man is wise in his own conceit ; 

But the poor man, who has understanding, searches him 
through. 

12 When the righteous rejoice, there is great splendor ; 
But when the wicked are exalted, men hide themselves. 

13 He that covers his sins shall not prosper ; 

But he that confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy. 

14 Happy the man who fears always ! 

But he who hardens his heart shall fall into mischief. 

15 As a roaring lion and a hungry bear. 

So is a wicked ruler over a needy people. 

16 The prince that is weak in understanding is great in op- 

pression ; 
But he that hates unjust gain shall prolong his days. 

17 A man borne down by the blood of a person 
Must flee even to the pit, that he may not be taken. 

18 He who walks uprightly shall be safe ; 

But he who is perverse in his ways shall fall at once. 

19 He who tills his land shall have bread enough ; 

And he that follows after worthless persons shall have 
poverty enough. 



Ch. XXIX.] THE PROVERBS. 65 

20 A faithful man shall abound with blessings ; 

But he that makes haste to be rich shall not go unpunished. 

21 To have respect to persons is not good ; 

Since for a piece of bread that man will transgress. 

22 He that has an evil eye hastes after wealth, 

And considers not that poverty will come upon him. 

23 He, who rebukes a man, afterwards finds more favor 
Than he who flatters with his tongue. 

24 Whoso steals from his father or his mother. 
And says, " It is no transgression," 

He is the companion of a robber. 

25 He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife ; 

But he that puts his trust in Jehovah shall be rich. 

26 He who trusts in his own understanding is a fool ; 
But he who walks wisely shall be delivered. 

27 He who gives to the poor shall not want ; 

But he that shuts his eyes shall have many a curse. 

28 When the wicked are exalted, men hide themselves ; 
But when they perish, the righteous increase. 

1 He, who being often reproved hardens his neck. 
Shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. 

2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice ; 
But when the wicked bears rule, the people mourn. 

3 He that loves wisdom rejoices his father ; 

But he who is a companion of harlots destroys his sub- 
stance. 



66 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. xxix. 

4 A king establishes a land by equity ; 
But he who receives gifts overthrows it. 

5 A man who flatters his neighbour 
Spreads a net for his feet. 

6 In the transgression of a wicked man there is a snare ; 
But the righteous shall sipg and rejoice. 

7 A righteous man cares for the cause of the poor ; 
A wicked man discerns not knowledge. 

8 Scoffers kindle a city into a flame ; 
But wise men turn away wrath. 

9 If a wise man argue with a fool, 

Whether he frown or laugh, there will be no rest. 

10 The bloodthirsty man hates the upright ; 
But the righteous seek to preserve his life. 

11 A fool lets all his anger come out ; 
But a wise man keeps it back. 

12 If a ruler listen to falsehood. 
All his servants are wicked. 

13 The poor man and the oppressor meet together ; 
Jehovah enlightens the eyes of them both. 

14 The king that judges the poor with uprightness, • 
His throne shall be established for ever. 

15 The rod and reproof give wisdom ; 

But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother. 

^6 When the wicked are in authority, transgression increases ; 
But the righteous shall see their fall. 



Ch. XXIX.] THE PROVERBS. 67 

17 Chastise thy son, and he will give thee rest ; 
Yea, he will give delight to thy soul. 

18 Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint ; 
But happy the people that keeps the law. 

19 A servant will not be corrected by words ; 
For, though he understand, he will not obey. 

20 Seest thou a man who is hasty in his words .? 
There is more hope of a fool than of him. 

21 He that delicately brings up his servant from childhood 
Shall have him become a son at the last. 

22 An angry man stirs up strife, 

And a passionate man abounds in transgression. 

23 A man's pride will bring him down ; 

But he that is of a humble spirit shall attain to honor. 

24 He who shares with a thief hates himself ; 
He hears the curse, but makes no discovery. 

25 The fear of man brings a snare ; 

But whoso puts his trust in Jehovah shall be safe. 

26 Many are they v^ho seek the ruler's favor ; 

But every man's judgment comes from Jehovah. 

27 As the unjust man is an abomination to the just. 

So the upright in his way is an abomination to the wicked. 



68 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. xxx. 

XVI. 

The words of Agur. — Ch. xxx. 

1 The words of Agur, the son of Jakeh, even his sayings. 
The solemn declaration of the man to Ithiel, even to Ithiel 
and Ucal. 

2 Truly I am more stupid than any man ; 
There is not in me the understanding of a man. 

3 I have not learned wisdom, 

Nor have I the knowledge of the Most Holy. 

4 Who has gone up into heaven and come down ? 
Who has gathered the wind in his fists ? 

Who has bound up the waters in a garment ? 
Who has established all the ends of the earth ? 
What is his name, and what his son's name, if thou 
knowest ? 

5 Every word of God is pure ; 

He is a shield to them that put their trust in him. 

6 Add not to his words, 

Lest he rebuke thee, and thou be found a liar. 

7 Two things do I ask of thee ; 
Withhold them not from me, while I live ! 

8 Remove far from me falsehood and lies ; 
Give me neither poverty nor riches ; 

Feed me with the food which is needful for me ; 

9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, 
And say, " Who is Jehovah ? " 
Or lest I be poor, and steal. 

And swear falsely by the name of my God. 

10 Talk not against a servant to his master, 
Lest he curse thee, and thou suffer for it. 



Ch. XXX.] THE PROVERBS. 69 

11 There is a class of men that curse their fathers, 
And do not bless their mothers. • 

12 There is a class who are pure in their own eyes, 
And yet are not washed from their filthiness. 

13 There is a class, — how lofty are their eyes. 
And their eyelids are lifted up ! 

14 There is a class, whose teeth are swords. 
And their jaw-teeth knives. 

To devour the poor from off the earth. 
And the needy from among men. 

15 The horseleech has two daughters ; 
" Give ! " " Give ! " [is their name.] 

There are three things which are never satisfied ! 
Yea, four which say not, " Enough ! " 

16 The under- world, and the barren womb ; 
The earth, which is not satiated with water ; 
And fire, which doth not say, " It is enough ! " 

17 The eye that mocks at a father, 
And scorns to obey a mother. 

The ravens of the valley shall pick it out, . 
And the young eagles shall eat it. 

18 These three things are too wonderful for me ; 
Yea, there are four which I understand not : 

19 The track of an eagle in the air. 
The track of a serpent upon a rock. 

The track of a ship in the midst of the sea. 
And the track of a man with a maid. 

20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman ; 
She eats, and wipes her mouth. 

And says, " I have not committed wickedness." 



70 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. xxx. 

21 Under three things is the earth disquieted ; 
Yea, under four it cannot bear up : 

22 Under a servant when he becomes a king, 
And a fool when he is filled with bread ; 

23 Under an odious woman when she becomes a wife. 
And a handmaid when she becomes heir to her mistress. 

24 There are four things which are small upon the earth, 
Yet are they wise, instructed in wisdom. 

25 The ants are a people not strong. 

Yet they prepare in the summer their food. 

26 The jerboas are a feeble people. 

Yet do they make their houses in the rocks. 

27 The locusts have no king. 

Yet do they all go forth in bands. 

28 The lizard seizes with its hands, 
And is in king's palaces. 

29 These three have a graceful step, 
Yea, four are graceful in their walk : 

30 The lion, the hero among beasts, 
Which turns not back for any ; 

31 The loin-girded war-horse, the he-goat, 
And a king in the midst of his people. 

32 If thou hast been foolish in lifting thyself up, 
And hast meditated evil. 

Put thy hand on thy mouth ! 

33 For, as the pressing of milk brings forth cheese. 
And as the pressing of the nose brings forth blood. 
So the pressing of anger brings forth strife. 



Ch. XXXI.] THE PROVERBS. 71 

XVII. 

Advice given to a king. — Ch. xxxi. 1-9. 

1 The words given to King Lemuel ; the sayings which 
his mother taught him. 

2 What, O my son, and what, O son of my womb, 
Yea, what, O son of my vows, [shall I say to thee] ? 

3 Give not thy strength to women, 

Nor thy ways to that which destroys kings ! 

4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, 

It is not for kings to drink wine. 

Nor for princes to desire strong drink ; 

5 Lest they drink, and forget the law. 

And pervert the rights of any of the afflicted. 

6 Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish. 
And wine to him that has a heavy heart ; 

7 Let him drink and forget his poverty. 
And remember his misery no more ! 

8 Open thy mouth for the dumb. 
In the cause of all orphans ! 

9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously. 

And maintain the cause of the poor and needy ! 



72 THE PROVERBS. [Ch. xxxi. 

XVIII. 

Character of a good wife. — Ch. xxxi. 10-31. 

10 Who can find a good wife } 
Her worth is far above pearls. 

11 The heart of her husband trusts in her, 
And he is in no want of gain. 

12 She does him good, and not evil, 
All the days of her life. 

13 She seeks wool and flax, 

And works willingly with her hands. 

14 She is like the merchants' ships ; 
She brings her food from afar. 

15 She rises while it is yet night. 
And gives food to her family. 
And a task to her maidens. 

J 6 She lays a plan for a field, and buys it ; 

With the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. 

17 She girds her loins with strength. 
And strengthens her arms. 

18 She perceives how pleasant is her gain. 

And her lamp is not extinguished in the night. 

19 She puts forth her hands to the distaflT, 
And her hands take hold of the spindle. 

20 She spreads out her hand to the poor. 

Yea, she reaches forth her hands to the needy. 

21 She has no fear for her household on account of the snow, 
For all her household are clothed with scarlet. 

22 She makes for herself coverlets ; 

Her clothing is of fine cotton and purple. 

23 Her husband is known in the gates. 
When he sits with the elders of the land. 



Ch. XXXI.] THE PROVERBS. 73 

24 She makes linen garments and sells them, 
And delivers girdles to the merchant. 

25 Strength and honor are her clothing ; 
And she laughs at the days to come. 

26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, 
And kind instruction is upon her tongue. 

27 She looks well to the ways of her household. 
And eats not the bread of idleness. 

28 Her children rise up and extol her ; 
Her husband, and praises her, [saying,] 

29 " Many daughters have done virtuously. 
But thou excellest them all." 

30 Grace is deceitful, and beauty vain ; 

But the woman that fears Jehovah, she shall be praised. 

31 Give ye her of the fruit of her hands. 
And let her works praise her in the gates. 



ECCLESIASTES. 



INTRODUCTION. 



Few books of the Old Testament have given rise to greater 
diversities of opinion than that which is called Ecclesiastes, or 
the Preacher. In regard to its form and its spirit, its subject and 
its meaning, its scope and design, its age and author, widely 
different opinions have been entertained, and defended with con- 
fidence and ingenuity. By different critics the author has been 
regarded as an Epicurean, a Sadducee, a skeptic, a fatalist. By 
others his chief aim is supposed to be to prove and maintain the 
doctrines of the immortality of the human soul, and a future state 
of retribution. Some of the ancient Jews, according to St. 
Jerome, entertained objections against this book, saying, that, ** as 
some books, which Solomon wrote, had been lost, this too ought 
to be obliterated ; because it asserted that the creatures of God 
are vain, and regarded all things as worthless, and preferred meat 
and drink and delicacies to every thing else ; yet they said that 
the twelfth chapter alone, which summed up all he had written 
in the precept to fear God and keep his commandments, gave it 
a sufficient claim to be placed among the sacred books." * So in 
the Talmud we read, '' Some of the wise men desired to hide, 
n'j^S, that is, to forbid the public reading of, the book Koheleth, 
because there were found in it words tending to heresy."! 
Others, because his language was contradictory. 

* See Comment, on Eccles. xii. 13, Jerome's Works, Vol. II., 
p. 787, edit. Martianay. 

t See Pesikta Rabbati, fol. 33, c.l; Midrash, Cohel., fol. 311, 
c. 1 ; Vajikra Rab., § 28, fol. 161, c. 2; Tr. Schabb., fol. 30, c. 2. 



78 ECCLESIASTES. 

A consideration of the objections which have been made to the 
book in ancient and modern times, and of the apparent contra- 
dictions which perplex the reader, seems to be demanded as a part 
of the introduction to this book. 

In regard to the class of composition to which the book belongs, 
it seems to come nearest to what in modern times would be called 
an ethical or moral essay, I do not, with some writers, regard it 
as a poem, though parts of it run into the region of poetry, and 
have a degree of rhythm in the construction. It is, however, 
written with the freedom of poetry, without regard to logical con- 
nection of thought, and without any strict and regular plan, kept 
in view throughout. Not that the work is wholly destitute of 
method. There is, at any rate, a unity of subject pervading it 
from beginning to end ; interrupted, it is true, but not destroyed, 
by digressions and the introduction of moral maxims. The au- 
thor evidently throws out freely the thoughts which occur to him 
on a general subject, rather than undertakes to prove any particu- 
lar point, or to accomplish any precise plan, to which all the parts 
should have a definite and intimate relation. 

If I were to express the subject of the work in a single sen- 
tence, which might serve as a title-page to it, I should call it, 
*' Thoughts on the vanity of human life, interspersed with 
SUCH maxims of prudence, virtue, and religion, as will help 
A man to make the best of it." The main doctrine, or specu- 
lative view, of the author is the vanity of human things, that is, 
of human striving, and of human fortunes and experiences ; and 
his most prominent practical precept is, that men should enjoy 
the present blessings of life as they come, without anxiety and 
over-strenuous exertions, relating to distant and future good. But 
there are many observations, and many practical precepts of pru- 
dence, virtue, and religion, scattered through the work, as having 
an independent value, and not having a particular relation to any 
general plan or design of the author. 

In regard to the objectionable sentiments and inconsistencies 
which have been charged upon the Preacher, it appears to me that 
much may be said in the way of explanation. One general con- 
sideration is, the general character of the composition, which does 
not aim at metaphysical accuracy of expression, or precise state- 



INTRODUCTION. 79 

ments of doctrine or principles. The writer throws out thoughts 
and views, which occur to him as the results of his various experi- 
ence, without making at the time the limitations and qualifications 
which a more careful and logical writer would have placed in im- 
mediate connection with the former. We are not, therefore, to 
take all the thoughts which he expresses, while contemplating 
things in certain points of view, as his final and settled convictions. 
We are to consider whether, in the course of his essay, he has 
not limited, or modified, former statements, if not formally and ex- 
pressly, yet by solemn additional declarations, which in fact modify 
the former ; whether, in the one case, he has not told us what he 
thought when considering things under certain aspects, and, in the 
other, what he believed on the Avhole, and taking all circumstances 
into the account ; whether, in the one case, he has not been stating 
facts which perplexed his mind, and, in the other, expressed his 
habitual faith, to which he clung notwithstanding these facts. It 
is very doubtful, however, whether he intends to contradict, or 
has in fact contradicted, any one proposition which he has laid 
down, in the same sense in w^hich he asserted it. 

It is probable that nothing advanced by the Preacher has given 
greater occasion for the charge of inconsistency or contradiction, 
than the sentiments which he expresses in relation to a retribution 
for sin. The difficulty occasioned by his statements in relation to 
this subject is the greater, if, as seems to be most probable, he 
had not attained to faith in a life after death, or a future state of 
retribution. The doctrine of a retribution after death affords the 
easy solution of the difficulty, which satisfies most readers. But 
if the writer did not believe in the doctrine, we need a diflferent 
explanation of the facts. Some of the passages relating to this 
subject are the following : — In ch. viii. 14, 15, the Preacher says, 
'• There is a vanity which takes place upon the earth, that there 
are righteous men to whom it happens according to the work of 
the wicked, and that there are wdcked men to whom it happens 
according to the work of the righteous. I said. This also is 
vanity. Then I commended joy ; because nothing is good for a 
man, except to eat, and to drink, and to be joyful ; for it is this 
that abides with him for his labor during the days of his life 
which God gives him under the sun." So, ch. ix. 2-5, ^' All 



80 ECCLESIASTES. 

things [happen to the righteous] as to all. There is one event to 
the righteous and to the wicked ; to the good, to the clean, and to 
the unclean ; to him that sacrifices, and to him that sacrifices not ; 
as is the good, so is the sinner ; he that swears [falsely], as he 
that fears an oath. This is an evil among all things which take 
place under the sun, that there is one event to all ; therefore also 
the heart of the sons of men is full of evil , and madness is in their 
heart while they live, and afterward they go down to the dead. 
For who is there that is excepted? With all the living there is 
hope ; for a living dog is better than a dead lion. For the living 
know that they must die ; but the dead know not any thing, and 
there is no more to them any advantage ; for their memory is 
forgotten. Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy 
wine with a cheerful heart." Other passages of similar import 
might be quoted, but these are sufficient. 

On the other hand, we read, in ch. iii. 17, '^ Then I said in my 
heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked. For there 
shall be a time for every employment and for every work [to be 
judged]." And in ch. viii. 12, 13, *' But though a sinner do evil a 
hundred times, and have his days prolonged, yet surely I know 
that it shall be w^ell with them that fear God, that fear before him. 
But it shall not be well with the wicked ; he shall be like a 
shadow, and shall not prolong his days ; because he fears not 
before God." And in ch. xi. 9, ^' Know that for all these things 
God will bring thee into judgment." And in ch. xii. 14, " For God 
w^ill bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, 
whether it be good, or whether it be evil." See, also, ch. v. 3-7 ; 
vii. 17, 18 ; viii. 8. 

Now the first remark, which may be made upon these seeming 
inconsistencies respecting the doctrine of retribution for sin is, 
that they are not peculiar to the book of Ecclesiastes. We find 
similar representations in the Psalms, in the book of Job, and in 
Habakkuk. See Ps. Ixxiii. ; Hab. i. 12-17. The book of Job 
contains strong representations of the prosperity of the wicked 
and the misery of the righteous ; which representations the writer 
reconciles with faith in a righteous retribution for sin, and that, 
too, in the present world. That these representations are gener- 
ally put into the mouths of different speakers is a mere matter of 



INTRODUCTION. 81 

form, adopted by the author in order to present different views of 
the subject. But this is not always the case. Job himself is 
made to utter sentiments apparently so diverse in chapters xxiv. 
and xxvii., that some critics have made arbitrary alterations in 
the text to meet the supposed difficulty. It is probable, therefore, 
that the alleged inconsistency in the case of the Preacher is to be 
explained in the same way as the passages referred to in the 
Psalms, Job, and Habakkuk, 

2. It is to be remarked, that the facts asserted by the Preacher 
are, to a considerable extent at least, what we all know to be 
true. Physical events do take place according to physical laws. 
The sun rises on the evil and the good, and the rain descends 
on the just and the unjust. When a tempest rages, it does not 
spare the fields and dwellings of the righteous. When the pesti- 
lence lays waste, it does not pass by the innocent and devout. If 
there be any exaggeration in the Preacher's statements, if he 
places the difficulties W'hich occur to his mind respecting the 
moral government of God in a very strong light, this is to be 
referred to the bold, unqualified way in which he expresses all his 
thoughts, and to his desire to give a striking illustration of the 
vanity of human things. He does not make his statements as 
deciding the question against a retribution for sin, but only as 
presenting difficulties. He is expressing thoughts which occurred 
to his mind at the time, not giving his view on the w^hole. He is 
complaining that the wicked escape for a long time, though he 
may yet have believed that judgment would at some time overtake 
them. Notwithstanding the extent to which all things happen 
alike to all, he may have believed in the doctrine of a righteous 
retribution, as established by the general consequences of human 
actions, as required by the justice of God, and as certainly con- 
tained in the religion of his nation. 

For it will be conceded by all, that the doctrine of a righteous 
retribution in the present life is the doctrine of the Old Testament. 
It is found throughout the Pentateuch and the book of Proverbs. 
It was firmly held by the Psalmists, by Habakkuk, and the author 
of Job, notwithstanding the difficulties presented by the prosperity 
of the wicked and the sufferings of the righteous. Their faith in 
retribution was not shaken by their observation, that '' The un- 



82 ECCLESIASTES. 

godly prospered in the world and increased in riches," while 
the righteous *^ have been smitten every day, and chastened every 
morning." They had faith, that, though ^* judgment against 
an evil work was not executed speedily," the wicked '' stood in 
slippery places," and that in some way, and at some time, the 
ways of transgressors would be found to be hard, and that, too, 
in this world. Why, then, should we seek a solution of the 
difficulty in Ecclesiastes different from that which is applicable to 
other writers of the Old Testament? What more is necessary, 
than to suppose that in the one class of passages the Preacher states 
his faith, and the faith of his nation, in the doctrine of retribution, 
whilst in the other class he only states facts in regard to the 
temporary distribution of good and evil in the world, especially in 
regard to the occurrence of the same physical events to all without 
distinction of character, which, though they perplex his mind and 
occasion embarrassment, and impress it with the vanity of human 
things, yet do not shake his faith. In the one case, he declares 
what is true on the whole, in the long run, and all things consid- 
ered, and what may be expected from the justice of the Almighty. 
In the other, he is stating what fell under his own observation and 
experience in a given time, and which occasioned him so much 
embarrassment, that he exclaims, '' Then I saw the whole work 
of God, that a man cannot comprehend that which takes place 
under the sun ; how much soever he may labor to search it out, 
yet shall he not comprehend it ; yea, though a wise man resolve 
to know it, yet shall he not be able to comprehend it." 

We Christians believe in the moral government of God, and in 
a retribution for sin to a certain extent in the present world, 
though we are sometimes inclined to wonder that a surer and a 
swifter punishment does not overtake evil-doers. We cannot 
deny the facts which the Preacher has stated, and which, at first 
view, seem inconsistent with his doctrines, however we might 
qualify the statement of them. We think we bring those facts 
into more perfect harmony with our faith in the moral government 
of God by extending the retributions of sin into the future world. 
The mind of the Preacher may have been more embarrassed than 
that of the Christian. It would be strange, if it were not. He 
may not have been so able to account for the phenomena of human 



INTRODUCTION. 83 

life, as the Christian to whom life and immortality have been brought 
to light. But his faith was not shaken, though his understanding 
was perplexed. He admits, like an honest man, all the difficulties 
of the subject, and believes still, that, though for a time the sinner 
goes unpunished, yet that at some time, and in some way, he is 
brought into judgment. 

It is true that the Preacher does not limit and qualify all his 
statements, like one who weighs all his words with the accuracy 
of Bishop Butler. It is rather his manner to give bold, unquali- 
fied, and, as it were, paradoxical statements of the results of his 
experience and observation, as well as of the course of conduct 
which he thinks it advisable to pursue. But if we make due 
allowance for the style of the writer in this respect, and for his 
use of figurative and hyperbolical language, we are not compelled 
to believe that he has contradicted himself, or that doubt on the 
subject of retribution was the prevailing habit of his mind. 

It may appear singular to some readers that I have spent so 
much time on this topic, when the supposition, that the writer 
believed in a state of retribution after death, would afford so ob- 
vious a solution of the difficulty in question. But, in several notes 
on various passages in the book, I have given reasons which make 
it appear to my mind most probable that the Preacher had not 
faith in a future life, much less in a future state of retribution. 
It appears to me, that he has himself intimated that this was not 
the way in which he viewed the subject. Thus, in ch. viii. 13, 
he says, '^ But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall 
he prolong his days, which are as a shadow ; because he fears not 
before God." I think, too, that if he had had faith in the doctrine 
of a retribution after death, it would have pervaded the whole 
book, and given an entirely different complexion to it. The 
practical inferences, or recommendations, especially, which the 
Preacher makes in view of the vanity, perplexities, and shortness 
of life, would, it seems to me, have been entirely different, if he 
had entertained the Christian faith in immortality and retribution. 
See ch. ii. 24; iii. 12, 13, 22 ; v. 18-20; vii. 14 ; viii. 15; ix. 
7-10, &c. I have already mentioned the probability, that no 
other solution of the difficulties in Ecclesiastes is to be sought, 



84 ECCLESIASTES. 

than that which applies to the book of Job, to Habakkuk, and to 
the Psalms. 

With regard to the Preacher's alleged tendency to fatalism, it 
may be admitted that the sentiments of chapters first and second, 
and of such passages as ch. iii. 14, vi. 10, vii. 13, if taken by 
themselves, and pursued to their consequences, without regard to 
other statements and sentiments contained in the book, may seem 
to give some plausibility to the charge. But what author is not 
liable to the same charge, if treated in the same way? Would 
not the doctrine of our Saviour and of the Apostle Paul, respecting 
the dependence of all things upon God and the unlimited extent 
of the divine providence, be liable to the same charge? The 
Preacher has amply qualified his statements respecting the impo- 
tency of human exertion, and the inevitable course of events, and 
the dependence of all things upon God, by the doctrine of a 
righteous retribution, and by various passages, which imply faith 
in human freedom. In respect to this point, as to others, we must 
keep in mind the characteristic of the writer to give a strong, I 
might almost say paradoxical, view of the condition of human 
things, which is immediately before his mind. The necessary 
limitations and qualifications are not given at the time. 

It may, however, be admitted, that the author gives a stronger 
view than any other Biblical writer of the circumscribed limits of 
human efforts, and their subjection to a higher, established, in- 
evitable course of things, or ordination of divine providence, which 
man can neither resist nor control. See ch. iii. 1- 15, especially 
14, 15 ; vi. 10 ; vii. 13 ; ix. 1, 11. The great theme of the book, 
the vanity of human things, is made to consist chiefly of the vanity 
of human eflfort or striving, as being either wholly fruitless, or 
fruitless in relation to its express object. But if we interpret the 
language of the author by other parts of the book, we must come 
to the conclusion, that he by no means designs to encourage inac- 
tivity or neglect of our powers, but only an anxious, ambitious, 
and over-strenuous pursuit of future and distant good. If, in one 
passage, he asks, ^' What profit has a man of all his labor] " he 
says, in another, '' Whatever thy hand finds to do, do it with thy 
might." However strong is the writer's representation of the 
influence of a higher power over his concerns and actions, he has 



INTRODUCTION. 85 

enforced doctrines and duties which imply faith in human freedom 
and accountableness. Nor has any one a right to charge him 
with inconsistency, unless he is able to prove that the doctrines of 
the divine foreknow^ledge, providence, and government are incon- 
sistent with human freedom and accountableness. 

As to the opinion, that the author of Ecclesiastes was a Sadducee 
or skeptic, I know not what support it has, except in his w^ant of 
faith in a future life. But this doctrine, it m.ust be remembered, 
formed no part of the Jewish religion. In this respect, the 
Preacher does not differ essentially from the author of the book 
of Job, and other writers of the Old Testament. He lived, in- 
deed, as is probable, at a later period, when the faith in the im- 
mortality of the soul may have begun to prevail ; but he had had 
no authoritative assurance of it. As to the charge of Sadduceeism, 
it is at least inconsistent with the author's alleged tendency to 
fatalism. For the Sadducees, according to Josephus, " take away 
fate, and say there is no such thing, and that the events of human 
affairs are not at its disposal ; but they suppose that all our actions 
are in our own power, so that we are ourselves the causes of what 
is good, and receive what is evil from our own folly." * 

As to the charge of Epicurism, if by this is meant that the 
Preacher recommends the pleasures of sense, or pleasures of any 
kind, without regard to the obligations of duty and religion, it 
appears to me that it is entirely false, as I shall show in the notes 
upon those passages which have been supposed to justify it. 
The foundation of this opinion is a too literal interpretation of 
certain figurative and pointed expressions, in which the author 
recommends a quiet enjoyment of the good one possesses, in 
contradistinction from excessive earnestness, anxiety, and exer- 
tion after distant and future good. The Preacher is careful to 
tell us that a man cannot have the quiet enjoyment of life, which 
he recommends, except by ''the gift of God to those who are 
good in his sight," that is, who discharge the duties of morality 
and religion. Ch. ii. 26. 

There are some other topics on which the Preacher has been 

* Whiston's Josephus, Antiq., xiii. 5, 9. 
8 



86 ' ECCLESIASTES. 

supposed to utter sentiments irreconcilable with each other, when 
he is, in fact, only giving the results of his various experience, 
^nd speaking of the subject in different relations. Thus, he often 
speaks in praise of wisdom, and of the advantages Avhich it confers 
on its possessor ; whilst, in other passages, he gives an impres- 
sive view of its insufficiency to guard • its possessor from many of 
the calamities and trials which flesh is heir to. There is no in- 
consistency here. He also uses the word in different senses. 
When he says that "in much wisdom is much vexation, and 
he that increases knowledge increases sorrow," he is speaking 
of mere speculative knowledge ; his meaning being, that, the more 
one knows of the world, the more he knows of its vanity, and 
that mere speculative knowledge cannot confer true satisfaction or 
happiness. In other passages, he commends that practical wis- 
dom which enables its possessor to avoid the consequences of 
folly. 

In order to explain the seeming inconsistencies which have been 
considered, the hypothesis has been advanced by some critics, 
such as Herder and Eichhorn, who were never at a loss for a 
hypothesis on any subject, that the book of Ecclesiastes consists 
of a dialogue, in which the speakers offer different sentiments on 
the subject under discussion. If our views are correct, such a 
hypothesis is unnecessary. But if the exigency for it were, ten 
times greater than it is, the difficulty of dividing and arranging 
the book, so as to make it form a natural dialogue, is such, that 
the hypothesis must be regarded as forced and arbitrary in the 
highest degree. It has met with very little favor, and is too im- 
probable to deserve a particular examination. 

The great fault of the interpreters of this book has been that of 
ascribing to it more depth of thought, more logic, more method, 
greater definiteness of statement, and greater particularity of de- 
sign, than really belong to it. The bold, indefinite, unprecise 
language of the author have given great opportunity to the com- 
mentators of attaching their thoughts to the writer's language, 
instead of extracting from it his own thoughts. Thus, Desvoeux, 
in his Commentary, makes the book contain a logical and well 
arranged argument to prove the immortality of the soul and a 
future state of retribution. Umbreit regards it as a philosophical 



INTRODUCTION. 87 

inquiry relating to the summum bonum, or chief good.* Martin 
Luther says, — '' The nature and design of this book is to teach us 
that we should \Vith thankfulness enjoy present things, and the 
creatures which God has abundantly bestowed upon us, and not 
be anxious about the future ; keeping a tranquil, quiet spirit, and 
a mind full of joy, being contented with the word and works of 
God."t Jahn coincides in opinion with Luther. "• The author," 
says he, ^' does not dw^ll upon the vanity and vexatiousness of 
human affairs more than upon an agreeable use of the pleasures of 
life ; and therefore his intention evidently was to repress the rest- 
less and eager efforts of men, which hurry them on in heaping up 
wealth, in securing pleasures and acquiring honors ; and, at 
the same time, to instruct them not to increase the troubles of life 
by denying themselves the enjoyment of harmless, though uncer- 
tain and fleeting, pleasures. "{ On this view of Luther and Jahn, 
the remark may be made, that it is just to a certain extent. The 
practical design which they ascribe to the author was, without 
doubt, entertained by him ; but whether it ought to be regarded 
as the chief and special design of the whole book may be doubted. 
On the contrary, the practical recommendation of the Preacher, as 
stated by Luther and Jahn, occurs in the book as an inference 
from the general subject which he undertook to illustrate. 

Various other designs have been assigned to the author ; among 
which is that of Kaiser, who supposes the work to be a historico- 
didactic poem, in which the characters of the Jewish kings, from 
Solomon to Zedekiah, are set forth and censured, so as to show 
what was the cause of the ruin of the Jewish nation. § The chief 
objection to this theory is, that the author of the work has given 
no intimation, directly or indirectly, of any such design. 

* Koheleth Scepticus de summo bono. Commentatio philosophico- 
critica. Getting. 1820. 

t Pref. in Ecclesiastem, in Opp. Lat., edit. Wittenb., Tom. IV., 
p. 2. 

t Jahn's Introd. to O. T., § 212. 

§ Koheleth, das CoUectivum der Davidischen Koni^e in Jeru- 
salem, ein historisches Lehrgedicht iiber den Umsturtz des Judis- 
chen Staates. Erlangen. 1823. 



88 ECCLESIASTES. 

There is also the theory of Ewald, who supposes the book to 
have been written when Palestine had become a province of Per- 
sia, and the Jews were suffering under the tyranny and violence 
of the Persian satraps. In this state of things, some of them had 
become weary of life and indifferent to all things ; some plunged 
themselves into pleasures ; and some openly inveighed against 
their oppressors, and thus exasperated their minds the more 
against them. In such times, says Ewald, the Preacher under- 
took to compose a book in which he exhorts his countrymen '' to 
bear present evils with patience, to be cautious and circumspect 
in speech, and, above all, to fear God, who would at some time 
bring all things into judgment and set all things right. He ex- 
horts them, therefore, not to sink under their calamities, but to 
enjoy with a grateful and cheerful mind the goods which had been 
placed within their reach." 

The objection to this theory, too, is, that it is mere theory; 
that, even if the book was written in the circumstances of national 
distress which the writer supposes, of which, however, there is 
no evidence, there is no such necessary allusion to national affairs 
as this theory implies. There are no sentiments in the book 
which the vicissitudes of human life may not have led the author 
to express in any circumstances of the Jewish nation. A similar 
theory was proposed by Warburton, with reference to the book of 
Job^ and with as little foundation. 

The only proper way of coming at the truth in relation to this 
subject is to consider the author as having designed to do what he 
has actually done ; not to ascribe to him any greater unity or 
speciality of purpose than appears in his work ; not to make the 
thoughts on various topics, thrown off as they arose freely in the 
mind of the author and connected by casual associations, the parts 
of a logical argument, or the means of accomplishing a plan, 
w^hich may never have existed in his mind. 

If we gather the design of the author from what he has done, 
we must conclude that his purpose was to please, to instruct, and 
to improve his readers, by making known to them his thoughts on 

* In his remarks on Ecclesiastes, appended to his work, Das 
Hohelied Salerno's, iibersetzt, &c. Gotting. 1826. 



INTRODUCTION. 89 

the vanity of human life. The illustration of this topic is, and 
is regarded by the common reader, the prominent aim of the au- 
thor. ^' Mere vanity, mere vanity, all is vanity," is the beginning, 
the middle, and the end of the essay. It is the chain which binds 
the whole together. And yet all parts of it do not conspire 
merely to illustrate this one topic. Throughout the work are 
interspersed advice and proverbial maxims respecting the conduct 
of life and the discharge of duty in relation to man and God. 
The author springs from one topic to another, to w^hich he is 
drawn by some casual association, pursues the latter for a time, 
and then returns to the former. The vanity of human things 
being regarded as the main doctrinal view of the author, the 
general subject of the book, what Luther maintains to be its chief 
design may be regarded as his prominent practical inference, 
namely, that men should, in the discharge of duty, enjoy with 
gratitude the blessings of life as they come, without distressing 
anxiety and over-strenuous exertions after distant and future good. 
Yet the practice of virtue and the fear of God are enjoined as 
of the first importance in regard to the enjoyment of such happi- 
ness as may be attained in a world of vanity; and while the young 
and the old are encouraged to enjoy life as it passes, and to lose 
none of its pleasures through a spirit of asceticism, or of anxiety 
and ambition about the distant and the future, yet only such an 
enjoyment of the good things of life is recommended as is consist- 
ent with the constant remembrance of the Creator, and of the 
judgment which is appointed for all. 

That the preceding account of the subject and design of the 
book is correct may appear from a more particular analysis of it, 
and from the commentary which follows it. 

The principal thought is first laid down, that all is vain and 
unprofitable. Ch. i. 1, 2. This view the Preacher illustrates^ — 

1. By the wearisome, ever recurring changes which are taking 

place without bringing to pass any thing new, or leading to 
any new result, adapted to give satisfaction to the mind of 
man. Yer. 4-11. 

2. By the dissatisfaction attending the pursuit of wisdom or 

knowledge. Yer. 12 - 18. 
8* 



90 ECCLESIASTES. 

3. By the unsatisfactoriness of the pleasures of life and of striv- 

ings after them, even when united with the pursuit of knowl- 
edge and philosophy. Ch. ii. 1-11. 

4. The author then compares the pleasures of knowledge and 

the pleasures of sense with one another, and passes judg- 
ment on them ; and recommends it as the best course which 
a man can pursue, in order to make the best of a vain world, 
to give up anxious cares about distant objects and perplexing 
subjects, and to enjoy with a tranquil, contented, cheerful 
mind the blessings of life, as he goes along in its paths. 
Ch. ii. 12-26. 

5. The vanity of human things is illustrated by their established 

changes and periods, their fixed course, all things having their 
appointed limits and time. Hence the folly of anxiety, and 
the vanity of strenuous exertion, since man cannot alter the 
fixed and established course of things ; and hence the wisdom 
of taking things as they come, and making the best of them, 
in obedience and submission to the divine will. Ch. iii. 
1-15. 

6. The vanity of human things is illustrated by the prevalence 

of injustice and violence among men, and the resemblance 
of man to brutes in respect to hardships and death. Hence, 
too, the Preacher derives the conclusion, that it is best to take 
a cheerful enjoyment of the good things of life, without anx- 
ious cares respecting futurity. Ch. iii. 16-22. 

7. The vanity of human things is next illustrated by reference 

to the sufferings of the oppressed ; the envy which is ex- 
cited toward the prosperous ; the evils of avarice and of soli- 
tude ; the evils attendant on royalty, arising from the infirmi- 
ties of its possessor and the fickleness of the people. Ch. iv. 
Then follow some proverbial maxims respecting the worship 
of God, ch. V. 1-7 ; then proverbs recommending the quiet 
pursuit of agriculture, in preference to the agitating, avari- 
cious pursuit of wealth, 8 - 17 ; these are followed by the 
advice before given, namely, to enjoy the good things of life 
as they come, without anxiety or wearisome efforts after dis- 
tant and future good. 18-20. 

8. The vanity of human things connected with wealth hoarded 



INTRODUCTION. 91 

up without being enjoyed or used, ch. vi. 1-6, and with in- 
satiable desires. 7-9. Then follows an obscure passage, 
apparently intended to illustrate the vanity of human things. 
10-12. 

9. Then follows a series of maxims and precepts respecting 

the guidance, support, and consolation of men in their pas- 
sage through life, recommending righteousness and piety, 
with occasional remarks on the vanity of human things, such 
as the vanity of striving after wisdom, the certainty of death, 
&c. Ch. vii. 1-viii. 13. 

10. Then follows a new illustration of the vanity of human 

things, drawn from the prosperity of the wicked and the 
sufferings of the righteous, and the impossibility of compre- 
hending the ways of Providence ; closing with the prac- 
tical exhortation, which he has given so many times before, 
to a quiet and cheerful enjoyment of life, while life lasts, as 
'' his portion," as '' all that abideth with him of his labor," 
without indulging in vain grief for what cannot be helped, 
or in the anxious, restless pursuit of that which cannot be 
attained, or which, w^hen attained, yields no satisfaction. 
'' Go thy way," says he, after giving the most melancholy 
picture of life w^hich he has yet presented, '^ eat thy bread 
with joy, and drink thy wine with a cheerful heart ; for now 
is God pleased with thy works. Let thy garments be always 
white, and let not fragrant oil be wanting upon thy head. 
Enjoy life with the wife whom thou lovest, all the days of 
thy vain life, which he has given thee under the sun all thy 
vain days." Ch. viii. 14 -ix. 10. 

11. A new illustration of the vanity of human life, drawn from 

the circumstances, that success does not always answer to a 
man's strength, wisdom, or other advantages ; and that wis- 
dom, with all its benefits to the public, often brings but little 
consideration to its possessor. Then follow various prover- 
bial maxims, showing the advantages of wisdom and pru- 
dence, and the evil of rulers unfit for their station ; and de- 
signed to regulate the conduct in private and public. This 
section closes with a recommendation of liberality to the 
poor, and of diligent exertion in our appropriate pursuits. 



92 ECCLESIASTES. 

without an over- anxious solicitude respecting the issue of our 
labors. Ch. ix. 11 -xi. 6. 
12. The Preacher now exhorts to a cheerful enjoyment of life 
as it passes, and the putting away of care and sorrow, in 
view of that portion of life's vanity which consists in the 
evil days of old age, and of the long period of darkness in 
prospect. Ch. xi. 7-xii. 8. Then follows a repetition of 
the chief truth which has been illustrated in the work, name- 
ly, the vanity of human things ; and the final recommendation 
of the Preacher, as the conclusion of the whole matter, and 
the whole business of man, namely, " to fear God and keep 
his commandments." Ch. xii. 9- 14. 

From this view of the contents of the book of Ecclesiastes it 
may be inferred that the author was a man of wisdom, virtue, 
and religion, according to the light which he had. He was not a 
fatalist, nor a skeptic, or Epicurean, in any offensive sense of those 
terms. If he had doubts, they related to subjects upon which he 
found no light in the religion of his fathers and his country. If 
he recommended the enjoyment of life, it was such an enjoyment 
as was consistent with virtue and religion. A deep sense of re- 
ligion is evidently habitual to him, notwithstanding the difficulties 
which perplexed his understanding. He has a living faith in a 
wise and benevolent God, and a righteous government of the 
world, though the principles of this government are regarded by 
him as being beyond the comprehension of man. 

On the other hand, it may be conceded that he has given a 
more melancholy view of human life than is consistent with the 
spirit of Christianity, or of a comprehensive philosophy. He had 
never heard the glad tidings of great joy to all people. The light 
of the Sun of Righteousness had not arisen upon his mind. 

It may be admitted, too, that the subject of enjoyment occupied, 
a more prominent place in the mind of the author than in the 
mind of Jesus Christ. A higher, more disinterested, more de- 
voted spirit pervades the teachings of Him who spake as never 
man spake than we can find in any of the writings of the Old 
Testament. The Christian is taught to do his duty, and let en- 
joyment take care of itself. " Seek first the kingdom of God 



INTRODUCTION. 93 

and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto 
you," is the language of him who came to perfect the law. I do 
not mean that the book of Ecclesiastes contains any particular 
precept inconsistent with the Sermon on the Mount. But in 
respect to its tone, spirit, and the prominence it gives to certain 
topics, it must be allowed to be far behind it. A spirit of self- 
sacrifice for the good of others is certainly not so congenial to the 
mind of the author as to the mind of Christ. 

Finally, if it be conceded that the Preacher expresses occasional 
doubts, where Paul or John would be rejoicing in hope and confi- 
dence, this should not lead us to give the ancient Hebrew phi- 
losopher the name of Sadducee, skeptic, or Epicurean, but rather 
to thank God, who has raised up Jesus to show us the nature and 
design of our present existence, and '^ to bring life and immortality 
to light." 

Perhaps it may be well to say a few words on the authorship 
of Ecclesiastes, though in a work of this didactic character it is 
not a very important question. That by " the Preacher, the son 
of David," in ch. i. 1, is denoted Solomon, there can be no doubt. 
But this by no means proves that Solomon was the author of the 
composition ; but only that the author, whoever he was, adopted 
the plan of introducing into the book one so celebrated throughout 
the East for wisdom and for prosperity as Solomon, for the pur- 
pose of giving weight to the sentiments Avhich are put into his 
mouth. In adopting this plan, it is not probable that he intended 
to deceive his contemporaries, but only to make use of a literary 
fiction, such as is common in modern times ; a fiction which is not 
very carefully supported. The prevalent belief, it is true, has 
been that Solomon was the author of the book. The first com- 
mentator, so far as I know, who called the received opinion in 
question, w^as the accomplished scholar and jurist, Hugo Grotius. 
*' I think," says he, 'Hhe work is not a production of Solomon, 
but one written in the name of that king, as being led by repent- 
ance to the composition of it. It contains many words which 
cannot be found, except in Ezra, Daniel, and the Chaldee para- 
phrasts." In expressing his opinion, Grotius, with his usual 
sagacity, has mentioned by far the strongest argument in its sup- 



94 ECCLESIASTES. 

port, namely, the characteristics of the language of Ecclesiastes, 
especially those which give it an Aramaean complexion. These 
are so scattered throughout the work, that it is sufficient to refer 
the Hebrew scholar to the whole Hebrew original. He cannot 
read the first chapter of it, without having strong doubts whether 
it was written by the principal author of the book of Proverbs.* 

The book of Proverbs, if not wholly composed by Solomon, 
must be regarded, to a great extent, as his production, and un- 
doubtedly belongs to his age, to the flourishing period of the 
Hebrew language and literature. But whoever will proceed from 
the perusal of the Proverbs of Solomon to that of the book of 
Ecclesiastes must receive from the diction of the latter a strong 
conviction that it is the production not only of a different author, 
but of a later age. In fact, there has been no greater opposition 
to this opinion than was to be expected from the natural prejudice 
in favor of the received tradition. The best scholars since the 
time of Grotius, who have given attention to the subject, have 
adopted his opinion. Even the Romanist, Jahn, who is very slow 
to adopt an opinion not in accordance with the tradition of the 
church, is unable to resist the evidence against the opinion that 
Solomon was the author of Ecclesiastes. Such critics as Dathe, 
Doederlein, Pareau, are of the same opinion. Dathe observes, 
that " Doederlein and Eichhorn have established their point by 
arguments so weighty, that none except very stubborn defenders 
of ancient traditions can deny it."f 

Even Professor Stuart, in his recent work on the canon of the 
Old Testament (p. 139), admits, though the admission is hardly 
consistent with the general argument of his book, that ^' the dic- 
tion of this book differs so widely from that of Solomon, in the book 
of Proverbs, that it is difficult to believe that both came from the 
same pen. Chaucer does not differ more from Pope, than Eccle- 
siastes from Proverbs. It appears to me, when I read Coheleth, 

* For an enumeration of the peculiarities of the language of Ec- 
clesiastes, the critical reader is referred to De Wette's Introduction 
to the Old Testament, or to a still more complete view of them in 
Knobel's German Commentary, pp. 60 - 75. 

t Jobus, Ecclesiastes, &c., a Dathio, p. 358. 



INTRODUCTION. 95 

that it presents one of those cases which leave no room for doubt, 
so striking- and prominent is the discrepancy." 

Knobel, the author of the last, and perhaps the best, critical 
commentary on Ecclesiastes with which we are acquainted, says, 
— ' ' No point in the criticism of the Old Testament is better estab- 
lished than that Ecclesiastes was not written by Solomon, but in 
a later age." It ought to be mentioned, however, that there are 
those who maintain a different opinion. Whoever wishes to see 
the arguments on the other side of the question may find them 
well stated in a preliminary dissertation to Ecclesiastes by George 
Holden, London, 182*2. They will not pass for much with those 
who are in the habit of w^eighing, rather than of counting, argu- 
ments. 

There are also other considerations, which, though they may 
not be in the highest degree conclusive when standing alone, yet 
confirm the conclusion drawn from the diction of Ecclesiastes. 
It appears to me that the English reader may perceive, in the 
general style, character, and topics of the book, reasons for sup- 
posing that it came from a different author than that of the book 
of Proverbs. The style of the latter is concise, terse, elevated ; 
that of the former is quite diffuse, vague, prosaic. The instruction 
of the one is preceptive and positive, having no reference to 
speculative doubts ; that of the other is in the way of philosophic 
discussion, presenting the different aspects in which a subject 
may be viewed, and what is to be regarded as the truth, on the 
whole. 

There are several topics, introduced into the book, which seem 
not very appropriate to the reign of Solomon, and which, if they 
had been so, that wise monarch might have been expected to pass 
over in silence. Among these are the complaints of the oppres- 
sion of unjust rulers, ch. iii. 16, iv. 1 , — of the extortions of provin- 
cial magistrates, ch. v. 8, — and of the elevation of inferior men to 
high stations, ch. x. 5 - 7. In fact, whenever the author speaks 
of kings and governors, he speaks in the tone of a subject rather 
than a king ; of an observer, rather than of a holder, of kingly 
power. See iv. 13-16; v. 8, 9; viii. 2-5; ix. 13-18; x. 
4-7, 16-20. 

The fiction, according to which the sentiments of the book are 



96 ECCLESIASTES. 

put into the mouth of Solomon, is not well sustained, so that it 
appears to be only a fiction. If the book were written by 
Solomon, why does he say, " I ivas king." A living king would 
be more likely to say, " I, the king," &c. Why should Solomon 
say to his contemporaries that he was king at Jerusalem 1 Before 
the separation of the ten tribes, it was a superfluous expression. 
No one had been king in Samaria. Especially, why should he 
say that he had gained greater wisdom than all his predeces- 
sors at Jerusalem, ch. i. 16, when he had only one predecessor 
in that city, namely, David ? All these expressions, however, 
might easily have escaped from an author not careful to maintain 
a literary fiction. In ch. i. 16, ii. 9, 15, 19, Solomon is repre- 
sented as praising his own wisdom, and relating his own expe- 
rience in a manner not very natural to a real, living person. 
Finally, the author, in ch. xii. 9, seems to drop the fiction, and 
speak of Solomon in the third person. 

It is much more difficult to form a confident opinion as to the 
time when the book of Ecclesiastes was written than it is to 
decide that it belongs to a much later age than that of Solomon. 
From the Aramaean complexion of the language, from the religious 
and literary character of the book, and from its spirit and tone, as 
being suited to times of calamity and oppression, one may feel 
considerable confidence that it was written after the return of the 
Jews from the exile at Babylon ; and there seems to be nothing 
to object to the prevalent opinion of the German critics, such as 
De Wette, Knobel, and Ewald, who date the composition of it 
near the fall of the Persian monarchy, or at the beginning of the 
Macedonian domination under Alexander ; that is, about 330 years 
before the Christian era. The occurrence of tw^o words of Per- 
sian origin, DJri3 and 033*13, in ch. ii. 5, viii. 11, in connection with 
the arguments which have been mentioned for the late origin of 
the book, seems to favor this supposition. There are no reasons 
of any weight for supposing the canon of Scripture to have 
closed before this period. We are inclined, how^ever, to adopt 
the date above mentioned, rather from the absence of more valid 
arguments in favor of any other opinion than from the conclu- 
siveness of the reasons urged in its support. As to the opinion 
which has been advanced, that traces of an acquaintance with 



INTRODUCTION. 97 

Grecian philosophy are found in Ecclesiastes, we can only say 
that we have not heen able to discern them. 

Whoever wishes for a list of the commentators on Ecclesiastes 
will find one long enough to satisfy him in Rosenmiiller's Introduc- 
tion to this book. Of those which he has not mentioned, I have 
seen, *^ An Attempt to illustrate the Book of Ecclesiastes, by the 
Rev. George Holden, M. A., London, 1822"; '^ Uebersetzung 
des Koheleth nebst grammatisch exegetischem Commentar, von 
Moses Heinemann, Berlin, 1831 " ; and, " Commentar iiber das 
Buch Koheleth, von August Knobel, Leipzig, 1836." The pres- 
ent work, except what has been added in the way of revision, 
was completed several years ago ; whereas it is only a few months 
since I have seen the work of Knobel. I was, therefore, pleased 
to find some of the opinions in which I diflfered from Rosenmiiller 
and others supported by that unbiased and able critic. 



ECCLESIASTES. 



1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king 
of Jerusalem. 

2 Mere vanity, says the Preacher, mere vanity, all is 

3 vanity. What profit has a man by all his labor with 

4 which he wearies himself under the sun ? One genera- 
tion passes away, and another generation comes ; while 

5 the earth abides for ever. The sun rises, and the sun 
goes down, and hastens to the place whence it arose. 

6 The wind goes toward the south, and turns about to the 
north ; round and round goes the wind, and returns up- 

7 on its circuits. All the rivers run into the sea, yet the 
sea is not full ; to the place whence the rivers come, 

8 thither they return. All words become weary ; man 
cannot express it ; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, 
nor the ear filled with hearing. 

9 The thing that has been, that will be ; and that which 
has been done, that will be done ; and there is no new 

10 thing under the sun. Is there any thing of which a 
man may say, " Behold, this is new" ? It has been long 

11 ago, in the times which were before us. There is no 
remembrance of former things, and of things that are 
to come there shall be no remembrance to those who 
live afterwards. 



100 ECCLESIASTES. [Ch. ii. 

12 I, the Preacher, was king over Israel at Jerusalem. 

13 And I gave my mind to seek and to search out with 
wisdom concerning all things which are done under 
heaven ; an evil business, which God has given to the 

14 sons of men, with which to vex themselves. I saw all 
the things which are done under the sun ; and, behold, 

15 it was all vanity, and striving after wind. That which 
is crooked cannot be made straight, and that which is 

16 wanting cannot be numbered. I communed with my 
heart, saying, " Behold, I have gained more and greater 
wisdom than all who have been before me at Jerusalem ; 
yea, my mind has learned much wisdom and knowledge." 

17 And I gave my mind to know wisdom, and to know 
senselessness and folly ; I perceived that this also is 

18 striving after wind. For in much wisdom is much vex- 
ation, and he that increases knowledge increases sorrow. 

1 I said in my heart, " Come, now, I will try thee with 
mirth ; therefore enjoy pleasure ! " But, behold, this also 

2 was vanity. I said of laughter, " It is mad " ; and of 

3 mirth, " What avails it ? " I thought in my heart to 
strengthen my body with wine, and, while my heart 
cleaved to wisdom, to lay hold on folly, till I should see 
what was good for the sons of men, which they should 

4 do under heaven ail the days of their life. I made me 
great works. I builded me houses ; I planted me vine- 

5 yards. I made me gardens and parks, and planted in 

6 them fruit-trees of every kind. I made me pools of 
water, with which to water the grove that produces trees. 

7 I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born 
in my house. I had also herds of great and small ani- 
mals, more than all who were in Jerusalem before me. 

8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the w^ealth of 
kings, and of the provinces. I got me men-singers and 



Ch. II.] ECCLESIASTES. 101 

women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men, a 

9 chosen woman, and chosen women. So I became greater 

than all that were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom 

10 also remained with me. And whatever mine eyes de- 
sired I kept not from them ; I withheld not my heart 
from any joy. For my heart rejoiced by means of all 
my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor. 

11 Then I looked upon all the works which my hands had 
wrought, and upon all the labor which I had toiled in 
performing, and, behold, it was all vanity, and striving 
after wind, and there was no profit under the sun. 

12 Then I turned myself to behold wisdom and sense- 
lessness and folly. For what can the man do that comes 
after the king ? even that which has been already done. 

13 I saw, indeed, that wisdom excels folly, as far as light 

14 excels darkness. The wise man's eyes are in his head, 
but the fool walks in darkness ; yet I perceived also that 

15 one event happens to them all. Then I said in my 
heart, " As it happens to the fool, so it happens to me. 
Why, then, was I wiser than others ? " Then I said in my 

16 heart, " This, also, is vanity." For there is no remem- 
brance of the wise man more than of the fool for ever ; 
for in the days to come shall all that now is be forgotten ; 

17 and, alas ! the wise man dies, as well as the fool. There- 
fore I hated life, because what is done under the sun 
appeared evil to me. For all is vanity, and striving after 

18 wind. Yea, I hated all my labor which I had taken 
under the sun, because I should leave it to the man that 

19 shall be after me. And who knows whether he shall 
be a wise man or a fool ? Yet shall he be lord of all 
the labor with which I have wearied myself, and in 
which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This, 
also, is vanity. 



102 ECCLESIASTES. [Ch. hi. 

20 Therefore I turned to give up my heart to despair in 
regard to all the labor with which I had wearied myself 

21 under the sun. For there is a man whose labor has 
been in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity ; yet 
to a man who has not thus labored must he leave it as 

22 his portion. This, also, is vanity and a great evil. For 
what has man of all his labor, and the striving of his 
spirit, with which he wearies himself under the sun ? 

23 For all his days are grief, and trouble is his occupation ; 
even in the night his heart takes no rest. This, also, is 

24 vanity. There is nothing better for a man than to eat, and 
drink, and let his soul enjoy good in his labor. But this, 

25 as I have seen, comes from the hand of God. For who 
has banqueted more, or been more eager in it, than I ? 

26 For to a man who is good in his sight God gives wis- 
dom and knowledge and joy ; but to the sinner he -gives 
the wearisome business of gathering and heaping up, to 
give it to him who is good before God. This, also, is 
vanity, and striving after wind. 

1 Every thing has a fixed period ; its appointed time 

2 has every thing under heaven. Being born has its time, 
and dying its time. Planting has its time, and its time 

3 plucking up what is planted. Killing has its time, and 
healing its time. Breaking down has its time, and its 

4 time building up. Weeping has its time, and laughing 
its time- Mourning has its time, and dancing its time. 

6 Its time has casting stones asunder, and its time gather- 
ing them together. Embracing has its time, and its time 

6 refraining from embracing. Its time has seeking, and 
its time losing. Its time has keeping, and its time cast- 

7 ing away. Its time has rending, and its time sewing. 

8 Silence has its time, and speaking its time. Its time has 
loving, and its time hating. Its time has war, and its 



Ch. III.] ECCLESIASTES. 103 

9 time peace. What profit has he that labors from that 
with which he wearies himself ? 

10 I have seen the labor which God has given to the 

11 sons of men with which to vex themselves. God makes 
every thing good in its time ; but he has put the world 
into the heart of man, so that he understands not the 
work which God does, from the beginning to the end. 

12 I know that there is nothing better for a man than that 

13 he should rejoice and enjoy good his life long. But 
when a man eats and drinks, and enjoys good through 

14 all his labor, this is the gift of God. I know that what- 
ever God does, that shall be for ever. Nothing can 
be added to it, and nothing taken from it ; and God 

15 does it that men may fear before him. That which is, 
was long ago ; and that which is to be, has already 
been ; and God recalls that which is past. 

16 Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of 
justice there was iniquity, and in the place of righteous- 

17 ness, iniquity. Then said I in my heart, " God will 
judge the righteous and the wicked. For there shall be 
a time for every employment and for every work [to be 
judged]." 

18 I said in my heart concerning the sons of men, that 
God will prove them and see that they are like the 

19 beasts. For that which befalls the sons of men befalls 
beasts ; one lot befalls both. As the one dies, so dies the 
other. Yea, there is one spirit in them, and a man has 

20 no preeminence above a beast ; for all is vanity. All 
go to one place ; all are from the dust, and all turn to 

21 dust again. Who knows the spirit of man, whether 
it goes upward, and the spirit of a beast, whether it goes 

22 downward to the earth ? And so I saw that there is 
nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his 



104 ECCLESIASTES. [Ch. iv. 

labors ; for that is his portion. For who shall bring him 
to see what shall be after him ? 



1 Then I turned and saw all the oppressions which take 
place under the sun ; and, behold, there were the tears 
of the oppressed, and they had no comforter ; and from 
the hand of their oppressors there was violence, and 

2 they had no comforter. Therefore I praised the dead, 
who have been long ago dead, more than the living, who 

3 are yet alive. Yea, better than both of them is he 
who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work 
which is done under the sun. 

4 And I saw all labor, and all success in work, that 
for this a man is envied by his neighbour. This, also, 

5 is vanity, and striving after wind. The fool folds his 

6 hands together and eats his own flesh. Better is a hand 
full of quietness, than both hands full of weariness and 
striving after wind. 

7 Then I turned and saw other vanity under the sun. 

8 There is one v^rho is alone, and no one with him ; yea, 
he has neither son nor brother ; yet is there no end to 
all his labor, and his eye is not satisfied with riches. 
[Neither does he say,] " For whom do I labor and de- 
prive myself of good ? " This, also, is vanity ; yea, it 

9 is an evil thing ! Two are better than one, because 

10 they have a good reward for their labor. For if they 
fall, the one will lift his fellow up ; but woe to him 
who is alone when he falls, and has not another to help 

11 him up ! Again, if two lie together, then they have 

12 heat ; but how can one be warm alone ? And if an 
enemy prevail against one, two shall withstand him ; 
and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. 

13 Better is a child poor but wise, than a king old and 

14 foolish, who will no more be admonished. For out of 



Ch. v.] ECCLESIASTES. 105 

prison comes forth such a one to reign ; whereas, he 

15 that is born a king becomes poor. I saw that all the 
living, who walk under the sun, were with the child 

16 who stood up in his stead. There was no end to all 
the people before whom he went forth ; yet they that 
come after shall not rejoice in him. This, also, is vanity, 
and striving after wind. 

1 Look well to thy feet, when thou goest to the house 
of God, and draw nigh to hear, rather than to offer 
sacrifice, like fools. For they consider not that ihey do 

2 evil. Be not hasty with thy mouth, and let not thy 
heart be swift to utter any thing before God. For God 
is in heaven, and thou upon earth. Therefore let thy 

3 words be few. For a dream comes with a multitude of 
matters, and a fool's voice with a multitude of words. 

4 When thou vowest a vow to God, delay not to pay it ; 
for he hath no pleasure in fools. Pay that which thou 

5 hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldst not vow than 

6 that thou shouldst vow and not pay. Suffer not thy 
mouth to cause thy flesh to sin, and say not before the 
angel, " It was a mistake ! " Wherefore should God be 
angry on account of thy voice, and destroy the work of 

7 thy hands ? For in a multitude of dreams is a multitude 
of vanities ; so, also, in a multitude of words ; but fear 
thou God ! 

8 If thou seest oppression of the poor, and justice and 
equity perverted in a province, be not alarmed at the 
matter. For over the high there is a higher, who 
watches, and there is one higher than they all. An 

9 advantage to a land in all respects is a king who is 

10 honored by the land. He that loves silver shall not be 
satisfied with silver ; and he that loves riches shall have 

11 no profit from them. This, also, is vanity. When goods 



106 ECCLESIASTES. [Ch. vi. 

increase, they are increased that eat them ; and what 
advantage has the owner thereof, save the beholding of 

12 them with his eyes ? The sleep of a laboring man is 
sweet, whether he have eaten little or much ; but the 

13 repletion of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. There 
is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, — riches 

14 kept by the owner thereof to his hurt. For those riches 
perish by some calamity, and, if he have a son, there 

15 is nothing in his hand. As he came forth from his 
mother's womb naked, so shall he go away again, as 
he came, and shall take away nothing of his labor 

16 which he may carry in his hand. This is also a sore 
evil, that, in all points as he came, so shall he go. And 
what profit is it to him, that he has labored for wind ? 

17 All his days he ate in darkness, and had much grief, 

18 and anxiety, and vexation. Behold, what I have seen 
is, that it is good and proper for one to eat and drink, 
and to enjoy the good of all his labor which he takes 
under the sun all the days of his life, which God gives 

19 him ; for it is his portion. To whatever man also God 
has given riches and wealth, and has given him to enjoy 
them and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor ; 

20 this is the gift of God. For he thinks not much upon 
the days of his life ; for God answers him with the joy 
of his heart. 

1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, 

2 and it is common among men ; a man to whom God 
has given riches, wealth, and honor, and nothing is 
wanting to him which he desires, yet God gives him not 
to taste thereof ; but a stranger enjoys it. This is vanity, 

3 and a grievous evil. Though a man have a hundred 
children, and live many years, and though the days of 
his years be many, if his soul be not satisfied with good, 



Ch. VII.] ECCLESIASTES. lOt 

and he have no burial, I say that an untimely birth is 

4 better than he. This, indeed, comes in vanity, and goes 
down into darkness, and its name is covered with dark- 

5 ness ; it has not seen the sun, nor known it ; yet has it 

6 rest rather than the other. Yea, though he live a thou- 
sand years twice told, and see no good, — do not all 
go to one place ? 

7 All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet his 

8 desires are not satisfied. For what advantage has the 
wise man over the fool ^ What advantage has the poor, 

9 who knows how to walk before the living ? Better is 
the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. 
This, also, is vanity, and striving after wind. 

10 What one is, that has his name long been called ; 
and it is known that he is man, and that he cannot con- 

11 tend with Him who is mightier than he. Seeing there 
are many things which increase vanity, what advantage 

12 has man [from them] ? For who knows what is good 
for man in life, in all the days of his vain life, which he 
spends as a shadow ? For who can tell a man what 
shall be after him under the sun ? 

1 A good name is better than precious perfume, and 

2 the day of one's death than the day of his birth. It is 
better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the 
house of feasting ; for that is the end of all men ; and 

3 the living will lay it to heart. Sorrow is better than 
laughter ; for by the sadness of the countenance the 

4 heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the 
house of mourning ; but the heart of fools is in the 

5 house of mirth. It is better for a man to hear the re- 

6 buke of the wise than to hear the song of fools. For 
as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter 

7 of a fool. This, also, is vanity. Surely the gain of 



108 ECCLESIASTES. [Ch. vii. 

oppression makes a wise man foolish, and a gift corrupts 

8 the understanding;. Better is the end of a thino; than 
its beginning. Better is the patient in spirit than the 

9 proud in spirit. Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry ; 

10 for anger rests in the bosom of fools. Say not, " What 
is the cause that the former days were better than 
these ? " For thou dost not inquire wisely concerning 

11 this. Wisdom is as good as an estate ; yea, it has 
an advantage over it for them that see the sun. For 

12 wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence. But 
knowledge has the advantage. For wisdom gives life 

13 to them that have it. Consider the work of God ! Who 
can make straight that which he has made crooked ? 

14 In the day of prosperity be joyful ; but look for a day 
of adversity ! for this, also, as well as the other, has 
God appointed, to the end that a man shall not find out 

15 what shall befall him in the future. All this have I 
seen in my days of vanity. There are righteous men 
who perish in their righteousness, and there are wicked 

16 men who live long in their wickedness. Be not right- 
eous overmuch ; neither make thyself over-wise ! Why 

17 shouldst thou destroy thyself? Be not overmuch wicked ; 
neither be thou a fool ! Why shouldst thou die before 

18 thy time ? It is good that thou shouldst take hold of 
this ; yea, also, from that withdraw not thy hand. For 

19 he that fears God shall escape all those things. Wisdom 
strengthens the wise more than ten mighty men who 

20 are in the city. Truly there is not a righteous man upon 

21 the earth who does good and sins not. Give no heed 
to all words which are spoken, lest thou hear thy ser- 

22 vant curse thee ! For many times, also, thine own 
heart knows that thou thyself likewise hast cursed 

23 others. All this have I tried by wisdom. I said, " I 
24' will be wise " ; but it was far from me. That which is 

far off and exceeding deep, who can find it out? 



Ch. viii] ECCLESIASTES. 109 

25 I applied my heart to know, and to search, and to 
seek out wisdom and reason, and to know wickedness 

26 and folly, yea, foolishness and madness. And I have 
found more bitter than death the woman whose heart 
is snares and nets, and her hands bands. He that pleases 
God shall escape from her ; but the sinner shall be taken 

27 by her. Behold, this have T found, saith the Preacher, 

28 putting one thing to another to find knowledge. That 
which my soul yet seeks, and I find not, is this ; a man 
among a thousand I have found, but a woman among a 

29 thousand have I not found. Lo, this only have I found, 
that God has made man upright, but they seek out many 
devices. 

1 Who is like the wise man, and him who knows the 
explanation of a thing ? A man's wisdom brightens his 
countenance, and the harshness of his face is changed. 

2 I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and 

3 that on account of the oath of God. Be not in haste to 
depart from him ; persist not in an evil thing ! For 

4 whatever pleases him, that he does. For the word of 
the king is powerful ; and w^ho can say to him, " What 

5 doest thou ? " He that keeps the commandment shall 
experience no evil ; and the heart of the wise man has 

6 regard to time and judgment. For to every thing there 
is a time and judgment. For the misery of man is 

7 great upon him. For no one knows what shall be ; for 

8 who can tell him how it shall be ? No man has power 
over the spirit to retain the spirit, and no man has power 
over the day of death ; and there is no discharge in that 
war ; and wickedness shall not deliver those that are 
guilty of it. 

9 All this have I seen, and I have given heed to all 
things that are done under the sun. There is a time 

10 when man rules over man to his hurt. And so I saw 
10 



110 ECCLESIASTES. [Ch. ix. 

the wicked buried, while the righteous, coming and 
going from the holy place, were forgotten* in the city. 
This, also, is vanity. 

11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed 
speedily, therefore does the heart of the sons of men 

12 become bold within them to do evil. But though a sin- 
ner do evil a hundred times, and have his days pro- 
longed, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them 

13 that fear God, that fear before him. But it shall not 
be well with the wicked ; he shall be like a shadow, and 
shall not prolong his days, because he fears not before 
God. 

14 There is a vanity which takes place upon the earth, 
that there are righteous men to whom it happens ac- 
cording to the work of the wicked, and that there are 
wicked men to whom it happens according to the work 

15 of the righteous. I said, " This, also, is vanity ! '^ Then I 
commended joy; because nothing is good for a man un- 
der the sun, except to eat and to drink and to be joyful ; 
for it is this that abides with him for his labor during 
the days of his life which God gives him under the sun. 

16 When I applied my mind to know wisdom, and to see 
the business which is done upon the earth, — for neither 

17 day nor night does one see sleep with his eyes, — then I 
saw the whole work of God, that a man cannot compre- 
hend that which takes place under the sun ; how much 
soever he labor to search it out, yet shall he not compre- 
hend it ; yea, though a wise man resolve to know it, 
yet shall he not be able to comprehend it. 

1 For I directed my mind to all this, even to search 
out all this, that the righteous and the wise and their 
works are in the hand of God, and yet neither his love 
nor hatred does man know. All this is before their 



Ch. IX.] ECCLESIASTES. HI 

2 eyes. All things [happen to them] as to all. There is 
one event to the righteous and to the. wicked ; to the 
good, to the clean, and to the unclean ; to hlnn that 
sacrifices, and to him that sacrifices not ; as is the good, 
so is the sinner ; he that swears, as he that fears an oath. 

3 This is an evil among all things which take place under 
the sun, that there is one event to all ; therefore, also, 
the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness 
is in their heart while they live, and afterward they go 

4 down to the dead. For who is there that is excepted ? 
With all the living there is hope ; for a living dog is 

.5 better than a dead lion. For the living know that they 
shall die ; but the dead know not any thing, and there 
is no more to them any advantage, for their memory is 

6 forgotten. Their love, also, and their hatred, and their 
envy, is now perished ; neither have they a portion any 
more, for ever, in any thing which happens under the 
sun. 

7 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy^ 
wine with a cheerful heart ; for now is God pleased with 

8 thy works. Let thy garments be always white, and let 

9 not fragrant oil be wanting upon thy head. Enjoy life 
with the wife whom thou lovest, all the days of thy vain 
life which he has given thee under the sun, all thy vain 
days. For this is thy portion in life by means of thy 
labor with which thou weariest thyself under the sun. 

10 Whatever thy hand finds to do, do it with thy might ! 
For there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor 
wisdom in the under- world, whither thou goest. 

11 I turned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not 
to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor yet bread 
to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding,- nor 
favor to men of knowledge ; but time and chance hap- 



112 ECCLESIASTES. [Ch. x. 

32 pen to them all. For man knows not his time. As 
fishes that are taken in a destructive net, and as birds 
that are caught in a snare, so are the sons of men snared 
in a time of distress, when it falls suddenly upon them. 

13 This also have I seen ; even wisdom under the sun, 

14 and it seemed great to me. There was a little city, 
and few men within it ; and there came a great king 
against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks 

15 against it. Now there was found within it a poor, wise 
man ; and he, by his wisdom, delivered the city ; yet 

16 no man remembered that same poor man. Then said 
I, " Wisdom is better than strength " ; and yet the poor 
man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. 

17 The quiet words of the wise are sooner heard than the 

18 clamor of a foolish ruler. Wisdom is better than weapons 

1 of war. But one offender destroys much good. Dead 
flies make the oil of the perfume-mixer offensive and 
putrid ; thus more weighty often than wisdom and honor 

2 is a little folly. A wise man's mind is at his right hand ; 

3 but a fool's mind is at his left. Yea, even when the 
fool walks in the way, his understanding fails him, and 
he proclaims to every one that he is a fool. 

4 If the anger of a ruler rise up against thee, leave not 
thy place ! for quietness puts to rest great offences. 

5 There is an evil whicK I have seen under the sun ; an 

6 error which proceeds from the ruler. Folly is set in 

7 great dignity, and the noble sit in a low place. I have 
seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as ser- 

8 vants on foot. He that digs a pit shall fall into it ; and 
whoso breaks through a hedge, a serpent shall bite him. 

9 Whoso removes stones shall be hurt therewith, and he 
10 that cleaves wood shall be endangered thereby. If the 

iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must 
he put forth more strength ; but wisdom is preferable for 



Ch. XI.] ECCLESIASTES. 113 

11 giving success. If a serpent bite before he is charmed, 

12 then there is no advantage to the charmer. The words 
of a wise man's mouth are gracious ; but the lips of a 

13 fool are his destruction. The beginning of the words 
of his mouth is folly, and the end of his talk is mis- 

14 chievous madness. A fool also multiplies words, though 
man knows not what shall be ; and who can tell him 

15 what shall be after him ? The labor of the foolish man 
wearies him, because he knov/s not how to go to the city. 

16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy 

17 princes feast in the morning! Happy thou, O land, when 
thy king is a noble, and thy princes eat in due season, 

18 for strength, and not for drunkenness ! By much sloth- 
fulness the building decays ; and by the slackness of the 

19 hands the house leaks. A feast is made for laughter, 
and wine makes merry ; but money answers all things. 

20 Curse not the king; no, not in thy thought; and curse 
not the rich in thy bed-chamber ! for a bird of the air 
shall carry the voice, and that which has wings shall tell 
the matter. 

1 Cast thy bread upon the waters ! for after many days 

2 thou shalt find it. Give a portion to seven, yea, to 
eight ! for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the 

3 earth. When the clouds are full of rain, they empty 
themselves upon the earth; and when the tree falls to 
the south or the north, in the place where the tree falls, 

4 there it shall be. He that watches the wind shall not 
sow, and he that gazes upon the clouds shall not reap. 

5 As thou knowest not the way of the wind, nor how the 
bones are formed in the womb of her that is with child, 
so thou canst not know the doings of God, who causes 

6 all things. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the 
evening withhold not thy hand ! For thou knowest not 

10* 



114 ECCLESIASTES. [Ch. xii. 

whether this shall prosper, or that, or whether both shall 
be alike good. 

7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is 

8 for the eyes to behold the sun. For though a man live 
many years, he rejoices in them all ; for he remembers 
the days of darkness, that they shall be many. All that 

9 comes is vanity. Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, 
and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, 
and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of 
thine eyes ! but know thou, that for all these things God 

10 will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow 
from thy heart, and put away evil from thy body ! for 
childhood and youth are a vapor. 

1 Remember, also, thy Creator in the days of thy youth, 
before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, 
of which thou shalt say, " I have no pleasure in them " ; 

2 before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the 
stars become dark, and the clouds return after the rain ; 

3 at the time when the keepers of the house tremble, and 
the men of war bow themselves, and the grinders cease 
because they are few, and those that look out of the 

4 windows are darkened ; when the doors are shut in the 
streets, because the sound of the grinding is low ; when 
they rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daugh- 

5 ters of music are brought low ; when, also, they are 
afraid of that which is high, and terrors are in the way, 
and the almond is despised, and the locust is a burden, 
and the caper-berry fails ; since man goes to his long 

6 home, and the mourners go about the streets ; — before 
the silver cord be snapped, and the golden bowl be 
broken, or the bucket broken at the fountain, or the 

7 wheel broken at the well, and the dust return to the 
earth as it was, and the spirit return to God who gave it. 

8 Mere vanity, saith the preacher, all is vanity ! 



Ch. XII.] ECCLESIASTES. 115 

9 Moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still 
taught the people knowledge ; yea, he considered, and 

10 sought out, and set in order, many proverbs. The 
Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and the 

11 correct writing of words of truth. The words of the 
wise are as goads, yea, as driven nails are the words of 

12 members of assemblies, given by one teacher. And, 
moreover, by these, my son, be warned ! Of making 
many books there is no end, and much study wearies 

13 the flesh. Let us hear the end of the whole discourse ! 
Fear God and keep his commandments ! For this is 

14 the duty of all men. For God will bring every work 
into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be 
good, or whether it be evil. 



THE CANTICLES, 

OR 

THE SONG OF SONGS, 
BY SOLOMON. 



INTRODUCTION. 



As I do not regard the collection of songs, which goes under 
the name of the Song of Solomon, to have an express moral or 
religious design, perhaps it might have been expedient to pass it 
by in significant and prudent silence. But when I reflected that 
the work holds a place in a book so extensively diffused as the 
Bible, that there are still various opinions in regard to its charac- 
ter and meaning, and that even the cause of religion demands 
that it should be understood to be what it is, I determined to give 
it its place in a translation and exposition of the poetic writings of 
the Hebrews. If I had entertained so low an opinion of it as 
Grotius, I should have been very doubtful as to the propriety of 
explaining its meaning. But it appears to me that it will bear 
a very favorable comparison with the selections from the idyls of 
Theocritus, and the songs of Anacreon, which are read in our 
most approved literary institutions. Only one or two passages 
are too gross to be consistent with modern delicacy. It is 
adapted to have an immoral and irreligious influence, only when 
it is perverted, and made to constitute an inspired model for the 
expression of feelings of devotion. When perverted in this way, 
its direct eiFect must be to debase religion, and consequently to 
promote immorality. 

The title of the w^ork could not have been prefixed to it by its 
author. The Song of Songs is undoubtedly an instance of the 
Hebrew superlative, meaning the finest or most beautiful of 
songs. It is, moreover, improbable that the title implies a com- 
parison of the work with other poetry written by Solomon. The 
meaning of the person who gave the book its title was, that it 



laO THE CANTICLES. 

contained the most beautiful of songs, and that Solomon was its 
author. 

The first and most interesting- question which presents itself in 
relation to this work is, What is its subject? If the Song of 
Songs had been found in any other book but the Bible, I presume 
there would have been great unanimity in answering the question. 
It would be said that few compositions existed, every line of 
which revealed so fully the subject which occupied the mind of 
the author. It would be said that one sentiment pervaded the 
whole, and that sentiment was love. In fact, there is now no 
dispute respecting the subject of the book, so far as it can be 
expressed in a single word. It is allowed by all to be love, 
reciprocal love. The question is. What kind of love is here 
represented '? Is it spiritual, or is it sentimental love, that is, 
the love of the sexes, as represented in poetry? Is it that love 
which exists between God and man, or Christ and the church? 
or that which exists between man and woman ? 

Since the time of Origen, the opinion has prevailed, that the 
work is designed to set forth the mutual love of Christ and the 
church. This distinguished allegorist exerted his great talents, 
as we are informed by St. Jerome,* in illustrating the book. In 
his other works, says he, Origen surpassed other men ; in this 
he surpassed himself; so that in him may seem to have been 
fulfille'd that which is said, ** The king has led me to his cham- 
ber." The unbounded influence of Origen gave the allegorical 
interpretation prevalence in the church ; so that, when Theodore 
of Mopsuestia, a man of great learning and talent, defended the 
literal sense of the Canticles, he was excommunicated for this 
and other causes, after his death, by an assembly of fanatical 
bishops and monks, the second council of Constantinople, in the 
year 553. f 

Since the time of the condemnation of Theodore, the prevalent 
belief of Christendom has been, that the book contains a repre- 
sentation of the mutual love of Christ and the church. This 

* Opera, Tom. II., p. 807, Edit. Martianay. 
f See RosenmiJlleri Historia Interpretationis, Vol. III., pp, 251 
and 262. 



INTRODUCTION. 121 

would seem to be llie most general opinion at the present day, 
if we may judge of the opinion of the Christian church by what 
is expressed in the popular commentaries. It is contained in the 
captions to the chapters in the common version. 

Among the modern Jews, too, the allegorical sense of the book 
h£LS prevailed, according to which it has been supposed to set 
forth the dealings of God with the Jewish people. Thus, the 
Targumist on this book applies it to Jehovah and the Jewish 
nation, in their journeyings from l'>gypt to the land of Canaan. 

As the mystical interpretation of this book commenced and ad- 
vanced with the general prevalence and progress of the allegorical 
mode of interpretation, so it has declined in proportion as that 
mode of interpretation has been understood to be without foun- 
dation. Since the time of Grotius, the prevailing opinion of the 
learned critics who have examined the work has been, that the 
subject of it is not spiritual or religious love, but that which 
exists between man and woman. 

The peculiar view of (>Jrotius has found few supporters, lie sup- 
poses the book to contain a dialogue between newly married per- 
sons, in which very gross ideas are veiled by decent expressions.* 
But since his time, that is, since the principle of interpretation has 
been generally acknowledged, that language can have no other 
meaning than that which exists in the mind of the writer, the 
mystical sense has been given up by most critics on the continent, 
and by many in England ; such as Michaelis, Herder, Eichhorn, 
Doederlein, Dathe, Seiler, Jahn, I)e Wette, Umbreit, Ewald, 
and many others. In England, the distinguished Methodist, 
Adam Clarke, the Calvinistic dissenter, John Pye Smitli, and 
the Biblical translator. Dr. Boothroyd, who is also an orthodox 
dissenter, have also abandoned the mystical explanation. 

There are those, however, in modern times, who yet hold fast 

* " Est oaoimijg (i. e. garritus conjugum inter se) inter Salomonem 
et filiam regis Egypti, interloquentibus etiam choris duobuH, turn 
juvenum turn virginurn, qui in proximis thalamo locis excubabant. 
Nuptiarum arcana sub honestis verborutn involucris hie latent ; quae 
etiam causa est cur ilebraii veteres hunc llbrum legi noluerint, nisi 
a jam conjugio proximis. 

11 



122 THE CANTICLES. 

the allegorical interpretation. Among these is the Romanist, 
Hug, who supposes the book to be of a political nature. Under 
the image of a spouse, as he thinks, is set forth a part of the ten 
tribes, which, being left in their country after the destruction of 
Samaria, sought to be reunited to the Jewish nation under the 
reign of Hezekiah. The Jews, represented by the brothers of 
the Shulamite, are unwilling that the union should take place. 

Rosenmiiller adopts the theory, that the work sets forth the 
love of Solomon for wisdom. It is not a little remarkable, how- 
ever, that while Rosenmiiller avows this to be his view in the 
introduction to his commentary on the book, he makes not the 
slightest allusion to it in the commentary itself, extensive as 
it is. 

In England, Bishop Percy and John Mason Good avow their 
belief in the mystical interpretation, but, like Rosenmiiller, they 
do not apply their theory to the interpretation of the book, but 
comment upon it as if the literal were the only sense. 

In this country, the old notion, that the book sets forth the 
mutual love of Christ and the church, is probably the most preva- 
lent. But Professor Robinson, in his Bible Dictionary, adopts 
the view, that the subject of the book is the mutual love of 
Jehovah and the Jewish nation. 

Professor Stuart, of Andover, has also avowed his faith in the 
mystical exposition of the Canticles, in his recent work on the 
canon of the Old Testament. He has adopted the view, that the 
subject of the book is the relation of God to the individual soul, 
and the aspirations of the soul to be united to the Creator. 

I might mention several other theories. But it would answer 
no good purpose, as I do not intend to examine them one by 
one, in order to show which is the most, or the least, tenable. 
I believe that there is not the slightest foundation for any one of 
them ; that not one of them can be accepted, without setting at 
defiance all just views of the nature of language, and all solid 
principles of interpretation. 

The decisive objection, which applies in nearly an equal de- 
gree to all these theories, is, that there is no mention, or even 
intimation, in the work itself, of that which they say is its great 
and principal subject. These interpreters tell us that the work 



INTRODUCTION. 123 

expresses the mutual love of Jehovah and the Hebrev^ nation, 
or of Christ and the church, or of God and the individual soul. 
In opposition to this, it is enough to say, that it is mere fancy ; 
that there is not the slightest allusion to God, to Christ, to the 
church, or to the soul of man, as related to God, in the whole 
book. The only persons introduced into it are human. There is 
not a sentence, or part of a sentence, which, according to the com- 
mon use of language, expresses any religious idea. This is the 
decisive consideration with me. The author has in no way indi- 
cated that he uses language in any but the obvious and usual 
sense. In all allegory, it is necessary that the principal subject 
should be in some way indicated. If allegory is a long continued 
comparison, it is necessary that the author should in some way 
make known to us the subject compared. But in the book of 
Canticles this is not the case. The principal subject, as under- 
stood by the allegorists, does not appear in it. The book is all 
comparison, and nothing to be compared ; all illustration, and 
nothing to be illustrated. The thing to be illustrated comes from 
without, — from the mind of the interpreter, arbitrarily imposing 
a sense on the author's w^ords in consequence of some imagined 
necessity, which is wholly independent of any thing in the work 
itself. In the parable of the Prodigal Son, who would have known 
that it was intended to illustrate the disposition of God towards 
men, unless our Saviour had indicated such an application of it 1 
So in the allegory of the Vine which came out of Egypt, it is 
expressly stated, '' The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house 
of Israel." So every writer of common sense, who makes use 
of metaphor, comparison, or allegory, will in some way indicate 
the principal subject to be illustrated. But it is not pretended 
that the author of the Canticles has done this. The only just 
conclusion, then, is, that he has not made use of allegory ; that 
he designed his language to be understood in its common and 
obvious sense. 

It has been said, in favor of the mystical interpretation, that in 
other writers of the Scriptures language similar to that in the Can- 
ticles is used ; that Jehovah is called the husband of his people, 
and the people represented as a faithless wife. Now, without stat- 
ing at present how small is the resemblance between the Canticles 



124 THE CANTICLES. 

and the comparisons just referred to, there is one obvious differ- 
ence which deprives this reference to such comparisons of any 
force as an argument. It is, that the subject compared is always 
prominent in those illustrations of the Hebrew prophets. Thus, 
in Isaiah liv. 5, '' Thy Maker is thy husband ; Jehovah of hosts 
is his name." Such illustrations, therefore, if they resembled 
the language in the Canticles much more than they do, would only 
show how its language might have been, not how it is, used. 
Because an adulterous woman, in the writings of the prophets, 
represents the Jewish people in their rebellion against Jehovah, 
it surely does not follow that every woman or maiden in the 
Scriptures does, or may, denote the Jewish people. Because a 
tender husband sometimes denotes a compassionate God in rela- 
tion to his people, it surely does not follow that every husband 
or lover in the Scriptures denotes the Supreme Being. Because 
the church is compared to a chaste virgin, it does not follow that 
every virgin denotes the church. Before we can admit that 
any writer intends to denote the Supreme Being by such expres- 
sions, he must himself indicate it by express declaration, or in- 
telligible implication, as the prophets have done in the cases to 
which reference has been made. Now the author of the Canticles 
has not intimated to us in any way that in his songs he had 
in view any other characters than man and woman, or any other 
kind of love than human or sentimental love. We have no right, 
then, to go beyond this meaning. Those who have adduced 
this illustration from the prophets have at best only shown what 
might he, not what is. There is no part of the Old Testament, 
or at least no difficult part, which may not be allegorized with as 
much reason as the Canticles. 

But, in the second place, I deny that the language of the 
prophets, in the cases referred to, is at all analogous to that of 
the Canticles. Those passages in the prophets which set forth 
the ingratitude of the house of Israel to Jehovah under the image 
of a wife faithless to a tender husband are wholly unlike any thing 
in the book of Canticles. In the former the Supreme Being 
always appears as the high and lofty One who inhabiteth eternity, 
the comparison being used incidentally to illustrate his own con- 
duct or that of his people. In the latter we find only lovers 



INTRODUCTION. 125 

and maidens ; the praise of personal beauty and passionate ex- 
pressions of love ; lovers conversing with each other, placed in 
different scenes, eating, drinking, sleeping, embracing, running, 
climbing, visiting gardens, feeding flocks, in fine all that is usu- 
ally found in erotic poetry. Who can fail to perceive the differ- 
ence betv^een such representations and any views which the sub- 
lime Hebrew prophets give of the character and conduct of God ? 

It seems to me wholly inconsistent with the reverence for 
Jehovah which existed in the Hebrew mind, that one of their 
writers should compose such a book as Canticles to illustrate the 
feelings which should exist between man and his Creator. It is 
a monstrous supposition. There is nothing in the Hebrew litera- 
ture to justify it. Who is there among us that would dare to 
use much of the language of the Canticles in reference to the 
high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity? Had not the Jews 
as great a reverence for the venerable name as Christians 1 Let 
us conceive of the author of the fortieth chapter of Isaiah, after 
having spoken of the Supreme Being as having " measured the 
waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out the heaven wdth 
his span, and gathered the dust of the earth into a measure, and 
weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance," as the 
Being ** before whom all nations are nothing, and accounted less 
than nothing and vanity," as addressing himself to his devotions. 
Would he have commenced with, " Let him kiss me with the kisses 
of his mouth ; for thy caresses are better than wine"? Would 
he have applied to the Supreme Being the language, " My beloved 
spake and said unto me, ' Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come 
away ' " ? Would Solomon, who, in his prayer at the dedication 
of the temple, used the sublime language, ^' Behold, the heaven, 
even the heaven of heavens, cannot contain thee," have addressed 
his Creator in the language, ^' The voice of my beloved ! Behold, 
he comes, leaping upon the mountains, bounding over the hills. 
Like a gazelle is my beloved, or a young hind," (fee? I might 
proceed with interrogations of this kind, but there is language in 
the Canticles which I could not apply to the Supreme Being in 
the manner required by the mystical theory, without feeling 
guilty of blasphemy. 

In support of the mystical interpretation of the Canticles, refer- 
11* 



126 THE CANTICLES. 

ence has been made to the pantheistic mysticism of the religious 
sect called Sufis, which has long existed in the East, and especially 
to the songs of Hafiz, a Persian writer of the fourteenth century, 
who has been supposed to teach mystic religious doctrines under 
the images of love, wine, &c. But it is doubtful whether Hafiz 
himself attached a religious meaning to many of his songs. It' is 
certain, that most of them relate only to sentimental love. Umbreit, 
who appears to have given considerable attention to the subject, 
says, — ''The love-poems, Nisamis, Leila and Medschnun, and 
Jussuf and Suleicha, have been explained allegorically, although, 
according to the evident intention of the poet, they require a 
literal interpretation." * Sir William Jones observes, — "It has 
been made a question, whether the poems of Hafiz must be taken 
in a literal or in a figurative sense ; but the question does not 
admit of a general and direct answer ; for even the most enthusi- 
astic of his commentators allow that some of them are to be taken 
literally."! The Conversations-Lexicon, or Encyclopaedia Ameri- 
cana, which may be supposed to represent the opinion of the 
learned in Germany, says, — " The songs of Hafiz were collected 
into a divan, after his death, which was published complete 
(Calcutta, 1791) and translated into German by the celebrated 
Orientalist, Von Hammer (2 vols. Stuttgard, 1812-1815). The 
poems of Hafiz are distinguished for sprightliness and Anacreontic 
festivity. He is not unfrequently loud in praise of wine, love, 
and pleasure. Some writers have sought a mystic meaning in 
these verses. Feridoun, Sururi, Sadi, and others, have attempted 
to explain what they supposed to be the hidden sense." 

Before what appear to be love-songs in any nation can afford any 
confirmation of a mystical sense in the Canticles, it must be shown 
that there are some intimations in them that their sensual ex- 
pressions are designed as images of spiritual things. If this 
cannot be shown, it is reasonable to conclude that they have no 
allegoric meaning. But if there are in them decided intima- 
tions of a spiritual meaning, then they are unlike the Song of 
Solomon. 

* See Umbreit's Lied der Liebe, p. 5. 
t Asiatic Researclies; Vol. III., p. 172. 



INTRODUCTION. 127 

In the literature of several nations, an allegorical sense has 
been given to the productions of distinguished poets by their 
admirers. The Iliad of Homer, the songs of Hafiz, and the 
Canticles ascribed to Solomon have met with the same fortune. 
From the allegorical use of them made in an age subsequent to 
that 'in which they were written we cannot infer what was the 
original design and meaning of either. 

I have no disposition to deny, however, that among the pro- 
ductions of the Sufi poets are found poems in which sensual 
images are used for the purpose of expressing devotional feelings. 
This might be expected from the obscene symbols of the Sufi 
religion, as described by Tholuck. ^' Voluptatem ex unione [i. e. 
cum Deo] captam, turpem adsciscentes figuram, assimilaverunt 
cum coitu maris et feminae, praeeuntibus Indis quorum in Upnek- 
hato, T. I., p. 241, conjunctio mystica cum Deo comparatur cum 
concubitu mulieris prsedilectae, inter quem nulla in mariti animo 
firma cogitatio permaneat aut imaginationis species, sed universae 
sensuum animique vires immersae sint in suavissimam jucunditatis 
commotionem. ' ' * 

I do not profess a thorough acquaintance with these writings. 
But having examined the specimens found in the writings of 
Sir William Jones, and in Tholuck's selections f from the mystic 
poets of the East, I am convinced that none of them bear much 
resemblance to the Canticles. They are evidently productions 
of a different nature, and connected with a religion as different 
from the Jewish as darkness from light. 

Among the specimens most favorable to the opinion of those 
who form their judgment of the nature of a Hebrew poem from 
the productions of mystic Sufi pantheists or the songs of Ma- 
hometan dervishes, are the two given by Mr. Lane in his work 
on the Modern Egyptians, contained in the Library of Entertain- 
ing Knowledge. These specimens I shall quote entire for the 
satisfaction of the reader, the more especially because they appear 
to have had great influence on the mind of Professor Stuart, and 



* Tholuck's Ssufismus, p. 94. 

t Bluthensammlung aus der Morgenlandischen Mystik, von F. A. 
G. Tholuck. Berlin, 1825. 



128 THE CANTICLES. 

are quoted by him as the principal support of the opinion which 
he adopts, that the Canticles " express the warm and earnest 
desire of the soul after God, in language borrowed from that 
which characterizes chaste affection between the sexes." 

*' The durweesh," says Mr. Lane,"^ '' pointed out the following 
poem as one of those most common at zikrs, and as one which 
was sung at the zikr, which I have begun to describe. I trans- 
late it verse for verse, and imitate the measure and system of 
rhyme of the original, with this difference only, that the first, 
third, and fifth lines of each stanza rhyme with each other in the 
original, but not in my translation. 

" ' With love my heart is troubled ; 

And mine eyelid hindereth sleep : 
My vitals are dissevered ; 

While with streaming tears I weep. 
My union seems far distant : 

Will my love e'er meet my eye ? 
Alas ! did not estrangement 

Draw my tears, I would not sigh. 

" ' By dreary nights I 'm wasted : 

Absence makes my hope expire : 
My tears, like pearls, are dropping 5 

And my heart is wrapt in fire. 
Whose is like my condition ? 

Scarcely know I remedy. 
Alas ! did not estrangement 

Draw my tears, I would not sigh. 

" ' O turtle-dove ! acquaint me, 

Wherefore thus dost thou lament ? 
Art thou so stung by absence ? 

Of thy wings deprived and pent ? 
He saith, ' Our griefs are equal ; 

Worn away with love, I lie.' 
Alas ! did not estrangement 

Draw my tears, I would not sigh. 



Modern Egyptians, Vol. H., p. 195. 



INTRODUCTION. 129 

" ' O First and Everlasting ! 

Show thy favor yet to me ; 
Thy slave, Ahh'mad El-Bek'rec'' 

Hath no Lord excepting thee.. 
By Ta'-ha',t the great prophet ! 

Do thou not his wish deny. 
Alas ! did not estrangement 

Draw my tears, I v/ould not sigh.' " 

'' I must translate a few more lines," says Mr. Lane, ^' to show 
more strongly the similarity of these songs to that of Solomon ; 
and, lest it should be thought that I have varied the expressions, 
I shall not attempt to render them into verse. In the same col- 
lection of poems sung at zikrs is one which begins with these 
lines : — 

" ' O gazelle from among the gazelles of El-Yem'en ! 
I am thy slave without cost : 
O thou small of age, and fresh of skin ! 
O thou who art scarce past the time of drinking milk ! ' 

*'In the first of these verses, we have a comparison exactly 
agreeing with that in the concluding verse of Solomon's Song ; 
for the word which, in our Bible, is translated a ' roe ' is used 
in Arabic as synonymous with ghazal (or a gazelle) ; and the 
mountains of El-Yem^en are ' the mountains of spices.' This 
poem ends with the following lines : — 

" ' The phantom of thy form visited me in slumber ; 
I said, " O phantom of slumber ! who sent thee ? " 
He said, " He sent me whom thou knowest ; 
He whose love occupies thee." 

The beloved of my heart visited me in the darkness of night; 
I stood, to show him honor, until he sat down. 
I said, " O thou my petition, and all my desire ! 
Hast thou come at midnight and not feared the watchmen ? " 
He said to me, " I feared ; but, however, love 
Had taken from me my soul and my breath." ' 

* The author of the poem. 
t A name of Mahomet. 



130 THE CANTICLES. 

Compare the above with the second and five following verses of 
the fifth chapter of Solomon's Song." 

Now, as to the first of these religious love-songs of the Mahom 
etan dervishes, whatever slight resemblance it may have to any 
part of the Canticles, it differs essentially from any of them in 
the circumstance, that the Supreme Being is expressly introduced 
as the object of worship. Without this essential circumstance, 
no one could tell whether it were originally composed for a love- 
song, or a religious hymn expressing a longing for a union of 
the soul with God, according to the Sufi philosophy and religion. 

In the second poem, quoted by Mr. Lane, it is to be regretted 
that he did not quote the whole of it. For I can by no means 
admit the circumstance that it was sung by the dervishes in their 
morning devotions to be conclusive in regard to the original design 
of the hymn. Mr. Lane expressly tells us, in a note, that he 
found the last six lines inserted, with some slight alterations, as 
a common love-song, in a portion of the Thousand and One 
Nights, printed at Calcutta, Vol. I., p. 425 ; Lane's Translation, 
11. , p. 349. Whether the whole was originally composed as a love- 
song or a devotional hymn does not appear from the parts of it 
which Mr. Lane gives us. If in the parts omitted there is any clear 
reference to the Deity, it is unlike any of the Canticles. If there 
is no such reference, the meaning of the hymn is too doubtful to 
allow any inference to be drawn from it. For we might as well 
allow the singing of Dr. Watts's version of the Canticles to be 
an argument for their original design, as to admit the singing 
of the mystic dervishes to be an evidence of the original design 
of their hymns. 

Before making some general remarks on this whole subject of 
attempting to show the character of the Canticles by reference to 
the pantheistic poetry of the Mahometan Sufis, it may be well to 
mention that reference has been made even to the poets of Hin- 
dostan for the same purpose ; especially to the Gitagovinda,"* 
the production of a celebrated Hindoo poet, named Jayadeva. 
This appears to be a mystical poem, designed to celebrate the 

* It may be found appended to Dr. Adam Clarke's Commentary 
on the Canticles. Also in the Asiatic Researches, Vol. III. 



INTRODUCTION. 131 

loves of Crishna and Radha, or the reciprocal attraction between 
the divine o-oodness and the human soul. Now, whatever may- 
be the resemblance between the Gitagovinda and Canticles in 
some of their imiagery, there is this essential difference, that, in the 
former, Crishna was the chief incarnated god of the Hindoos ; ^ 
and that there are references to other gods, and to various super- 
stitions of the Hindoo mythology, whilst in the Canticles there 
is no reference to any but human characters. Besides, the author 
of the Gitagovinda clearly intimates its religious character in the 
conclusion of the poem. 

We have seen, then, that there are material differences between 
the Canticles and the religious love-songs to which reference has 
been made. But supposing the resemblance to be much greater 
than it is, those mystical songs do not in any essential respect 
resemble the Canticles more than they do the odes of Anacreon, 
or some of the eclogues of Virgil, and the idyls of Theocritus. 
And it is not easy to see why the resemblance does not prove 
the religious character of the odes of Anacreon as much as that 
of the Canticles. 

But, after all, the great objection remains to any conclusion 
drawn from the pantheistic mystic poets, whether of Persia or 
India, whether Mahometans or Hindoos, namely, that their pro- 
ductions are founded on a religion and philosophy entirely different 
from the Jewish. The Canticles are productions of a different 
country, and separated from any of the songs of the Sufi poets 
by an interval of nearly two thousand years. The Jewish re- 
ligion has nothing in common with the pantheistic mysticism 
on which those songs are founded. There is nothing in the 
Old Testament of a similar character. If any production simi- 

^ " Crishna continues to this hour the darling god of the Indian 
women. The sect of Hindoos, who adore him with enthusiastic and 
almost exclusive devotion, have broached a doctrine which they 
maintain with eagerness, and which seems general in these prov- 
inces ; that he was distinct from all the Avatars^ who had only an 
ansa or portion of his divinity ; while Crishna was the person of 
Vishnu himself in a human form." Sir W. Jones, in Asiatic Re- 
searches, Vol. I., p. 260. 



132 THE CANTICLES. 

lar to those mystical love-songs had existed in the religious 
literature of the Hebrews, undoubtedly we should have found 
some of them in the Book of Psalms, which comprises compo- 
sitions from the age preceding that of David to a period long 
after the return of the Jew^s from the captivity at Babylon. But 
in the most fervent psalms, the forty-second for instance, nothing 
of the kind is found. Neither is any thing similar to these mystic 
songs ascribed to the Jewish sects, as described by Joseph us and 
Philo. Nothing of the kind is laid to the charge of the Essenes. 
It is needless to say that nothing approaching to a like character 
is found in the New Testament. Nothing similar is discovered 
even in the allegorical paraphrase of the Targumist * on the 
Canticles. All those religious love-songs are founded on the 
Sufi religion, or. rather religious philosophy, which, whether it 
was borrowed from India, as Von Hammer supposes, or arose 
independently among the Mahometans, according to the opinion 
of Tholuck,f has no connection with, or resemblance to, the Jew- 
ish. It is as different from the latter as darkness from light. 
The argument, therefore, which is drawn from the mystical songs 
of the Mahometan devotees for ascribing a mystical character to 
the Canticles is without foundation. 

To me, also, it appears singular that any one should think it 
to be for the honor of the. book, or of the Jewish religion, or 
of the Bible, to regard the Canticles as designed to be a book 
of devotion, a guide to the Jews in the expression of their re- 
ligious feelings to their Creator. If it be regarded as a specimen 
of the erotic poetry of the Hebrews, it will be treated with indif- 
ference by most readers, and consequently do them no harm. 
But if regarded as an inspired model and help for devotion, its 
direct tendency is injurious to morals and religion. That such 
is its tendency, when so understood, is too plain to need argu- 
ment. Even Professor Stuart, who professes to believe it an 
inspired composition, designed " to express the warm and ardent 
desire of the soul after God," is compelled by his moral feelings 

* The Targum on Solomon's Song may be found translated, ap- 
pended to Dr. Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Canticles, 
t Tholuck's Ssufismus, etc., Cap. II, 



IxNTRODUCTION. 133 

to express the strangely inconsistent opinion ^ that '' it is the safer 
and better course to place the Canticles, as the Jews did, among 
the D'l-IJ^, or books withdrawn from ordinary use"; and, again, 
that those who neglect to read the book '* are to be commended 
rather than blamed."^ He attempts, indeed, to show that what 
would be dangerous to us in the Western w^orld might be safe 
for the Orientals, on account of the secluded state in which females 
were kept among them. But it is not easy to see why sensual 
imagery should have less influence on the imagination and feelings 
of an Oriental on account of any difference between Eastern and 
Western society, or why the language of love-songs, used as the 
vehicle of devotion, should have less influence to corrupt and 
debase the religion of an Asiatic than of an American. It seems 
to be at least probable that what could not with decency be sung 
in a mixed assembly in this country was never designed by 
Heaven to be sung or said as a religious exercise in any country. 
On general principles, I should suppose that the safety was on 
the side of the colder temperament of the Western world, and 
that our free intercourse between the sexes was less likely to 
inflame the imagination and the passions than that guarded seclu- 
sion of females through which they are presented to the mind 
only as objects of sensual love. 

Let the people be convinced, however, with Mr. Stuart, that 
the Canticles were inspired and designed by the Deity as helps 
for the expression of Jewish devotion, and they will hardly re- 
gard the permission or recommendation of the learned professor 
as a sufiicient authority for neglecting to use them in their own 
devotions. They will very naturally ask how. great a portion of 
the Old and New Testaments might be set aside, if every one 
might neglect what he thought best, on account of such a differ- 
ence in manners and customs ; and perhaps may not be able to 
perceive why a professor at Andover should have a better right 
" to hide," or '' put out of public use," the inspired book of 
Canticles, than a former professor at Cambridge to question the 
genuineness of the Pentateuch. 

* Stuart on the Canon, &c., p. 381. 
12 



134 THE CANTICLES. 

It may be that some of the Sufi devotees sing their religious 
love-songs w^ith devotional feelings. But that the tendency of 
such a mode of worship is bad is almost self-evident. No one 
can be surprised, when Professor Tholuck, who in general gives 
the most favorable aspect of the Oriental mysticism, informs us 
concerning the dissoluteness and sensuality of the dervishes and 
Sufis, whose devotional exercises consist of language and images 
borrowed from sensual love, '' Proinde, si quae dissolutioris vitae, 
quin etiam veneris promiscuae criminationes adversus Derwischios 
et Ssufios factae sunt, earum me repellendarum equidem baud parem 
crederem." * 

On the injurious effect of a religious use of the Canticles, the 
testimony of Dr. Adam Clarke, who, as a travelling Methodist 
preacher, had great opportunities for observation relating to the 
subject, is as follows. Speaking of those who attach a spiritual 
meaning to the book, he says : — '' Their conduct is dangerous ; 
and the result of their well intentioned labors has been of very 
little service to the cause of Christianity in general, or to the 
interests of true morality in particular. By their mode of inter- 
pretation, an undignified, not to say mean and carnal, language 
has been propagated among many well meaning religious people, 
that has associated itself too much with selfish and animal affections, 
and created feelings that accorded little with the dignified spiritu- 
ality of the religion of the Lord Jesus. I speak not from report ; 
I speak from observation and experience, and observation not 
hastily made. The conviction on my mind, and the conclusion 
to which I have conscientiously arrived, are the result of frequent 
examination, careful reading, and close thinking at intervals, for 
nearly fifty years ; and, however I may be blamed by some and 
pitied by others, I must say, and I say it as fearlessly as I do 
conscientiously, that in this inimitably fine, elegant Hebrew ode 
I see nothing of Christ and his church, and nothing that appears 
to have been intended to be thus understood ; and nothing, if 
applied in this way, that, per se, can promote the interests of 
vital godliness, or cause the simple and sincere not to know 

* See Tholuck's Ssufisrnus, sive Theosophia Persarum Pantheis- 
tica, etc., Berlin, 1821, p, 88. 



INTRODUCTION. I35 

Christ after the flesh. Here I conscientiously stand : — May God 
help me." ^ 

Indeed, the history of religion in all ages and in all countries 
is full of examples of the danger that excited religious feeling 
may unite itself with sensual feelings and express itself in 
sensual images. Witness the representations of some of the 
Hindoo gods, and the religious rites of various heathen nations. 
Even in Christendom, hymns have been sung as religious, which 
fall below any heathen addresses to Phallus or Priapus. In 
proof of this may be adduced the obscene language used by the 
early Moravians, in their hymns and other acts of worship. 
Examples of language of this kind, indecent beyond concep- 
tion, are quoted by Rimius,f in his writings relating to the Mo- 
ravians. Fortunately, these sincere, but misguided, Christians 
were taught by their assailants to correct their dangerous error. 
But let it be generally believed that the Canticles were inspired 
and designed " to express the warm and earnest desire of the 
soul after God," and we shall be likely to have the error of the 
early Moravians repeated in all its disgusting ofFensiveness. Let it 
not be said there is no danger, in a community in w^hich Millerism 
and Mormonism have found so many proselytes. 

The opinion, then, that the Canticles w^ere designed as helps 
to the soul in its devotions, is more discreditable to the book 
itself, to the Scriptures, and to the Jewish religion, than that 
which regards them as relics of the amatory poetry of the 
Hebrews. That which is noxious is more discreditable than that 
which is merely indiiferent. The odes of Anacreon, while they 
are read in our schools as amatory poetry, have but little influence 
of any kind. But if they were taught as helps to devotion, to 
be repeated day after day as religious exercises during one's 
whole life, the effect would be very diflferent. 

One other argument has been urged of late in favor of the 
mystical interpretation of the Canticles, which I should think un- 

* See his Introduction to the Song of Solomon. 

t See Rimius's History of the Moravians, &c., Tracts, Vols. I. 
and II., London, 1754. See, also, Southey's Life of Wesley, 
Vol. I., pp. 188 and 387. 



136 THE CANTICLES. 

worthy of notice, were it not for the respectabihty of those who 
offer it. It is drawn from the difference of opinion, in regard to 
the object, plan, and design of the Canticles, among those who 
reject the allegorical interpretation. But this difference of opin- 
ion relates not to the general character of the book, or to the 
meaning of its language, but to the author's special plan and 
design. It is not strange that there should have been a differ- 
ence of opinion on these points, since no special object or plan 
may have existed in the author's mind. But, after all, there 
is no greater difference of opinion in regard to the Canticles than 
in regard to Ecclesiastes, Job, and some other books of the Old 
Testament. And this argument, if it proves any thing, proves 
that we may fasten an allegorical sense upon any difficult passage 
or book of the Bible. Besides, for every two different opinions 
expressed by those who reject the mystical sense of the Canticles, 
it will be very easy to find four expressed by those who hold it. 

Why, then, says the friend of the allegorical interpretation 
of the Canticles, is the book found in the Scriptures, if it has not a 
religious meaning or a moral value 1 This, after all, is, I appre- 
hend, the only argument which has much real weight even with 
the allegorists. The book is found in the Scriptures ; therefore 
it cannot be understood in its obvious sense ; therefore it must 
have an allegorical sense ; and, since the author has not said, 
or intimated, what the religious sense of his words is, the critics 
must supply it for him. 

Now, suppose that we were wholly unable to answer the ques- 
tion, how a collection of amatory poetry came into the Jewish 
canon of the Scriptures. Is our ignorance on a point like this 
a reason for assigning to a man's words a sense which was never 
in his mind, and which, according to the usage of the language 
in which he wrote, and of the authors of the same nation, in his 
own age, or before or after his time, his words are not adapted to 
express 1 

No one knows, or has good reason to believe, what individuals 
or body of men made the collection of the writings of the Old 
Testament. Of course, we do not know on w^hat judgment, if 
any, the admission of a writing into this collection rests. For 
aught we know, all the Hebrew works extant at a particular 



INTRODUCTION. 137 

time may have been included in the collection. The incredible 
and contradictory Jewish traditions on the subject all go to show 
that absolutely nothing is known respecting it.* One may find 
abundance of conjecture and of strained inferences relating to it, 
but no genuine history. The book of Canticles, then, if placed 
in the collection of Hebrew literature by an act of judgment, may 
have been placed there by those who supposed it a production, 
possessing much poetic beauty, of a person so celebrated through- 
out the East as Solomon. Much uncertainty exists in regard to 
the time when the books of the Old Testament began to be re- 
garded as holy writings. That they were so regarded when this 
book was added to the number cannot be proved. It may then 
have been regarded as only a collection of national writings ; of 
all that was esteemed valuable in Hebrew literature. That a 
great part of the Old Testament has a religious character may 
be accounted for by the predominant religious spirit of the Jews, 
and the existence of their theocratic institutions. 

Or, if we suppose the collector or collectors to have regarded 
the collection of the Hebrew writings as possessing a moral or 
religious character when the Canticles were introduced into it, 
why may not the book have been regarded by them as having 
a good moral tendency in its literal sense ; as designed to recom- 
mend monogamy, as some modern expositors suppose ; or as 
designed to show '' the reward of fidelity and constancy in alFairs 
of the heart," as others imagine ; or that its object was to prove 
** that love, as the freest and fairest gift of the heart, can no more 
be destroyed than called forth by outward power," as a third 
class has maintained ; or that the author's design was the general 
one of setting forth ^ ' the pleasures of virtuous love ' ' 1 These 
or other reasons may have influenced the collector or collectors 

* See De Wette's Introduction to the Old Testament, § 14, and 
his references. By consulting the original, it will be seen that the 
American translator seems to confound the tradition contained in 
2 Esdras, ch. xiv., and many of the church fathers, with a different 
one. The tradition in Esdras is, that the books of the Old Testa- 
ment were wholly lost by being burned, and that Ezra dictated two 
hundred and four books by divine inspiration. 
12* 



138 THE CANTICLES. 

in giving it a place in the volume afterwards held sacred by the 
Jews, without supposing that it possessed a religious or mystical 
character. 

But, even supposing, what I do not regard as probable, that 
the allegorical interpretation prevailed at so early a period as 
that of the completion of the canon of the Jewish Scriptures, 
and that the Canticles were admitted into it by those who re- 
garded it as an allegory expressive of religious ideas, it by no 
means follows that such is the fact. There is abundant reason 
for distrusting the judgment as well as the information of the 
collectors of the books of the Old Testament. Witness the false 
captions to many of the Psalms, the confused state of the prophe- 
cies of Jeremiah, the mode in which the prophets were arranged, 
the ascription to Isaiah of much which he could not have written, 
in the judgment not merely of rationalists, but of the most ortho- 
dox critics. If he or they who placed the Canticles in the Old 
Testament, hundreds of years after it was written, regarded it as 
a religious or even an inspired book, this is not a sufficient reason 
why we should so regard it. 

In respect to the mere question, whether the book was con- 
tained in the Jewish canon, that is, whether it was generally re- 
ceived by the Jews as a part of their sacred writings for about 
two hundred years before the Christian era, I entirely agree 
with those who regard it as canonical. But whether any book 
has in reality a claim on my faith or practice depends on very 
different considerations from that of general reception, whether 
by the Jewish nation or the Christian church. I must satisfy 
myself first, whether the writer ever laid claim to divine author- 
ity, and, if he did, whether he gave any proof of his claim, 
internal or external. If I admit the authority of the church, 
that is, of a majority of it, as settling conclusively what I am 
to receive as of divine authority, I must admit the authority of 
the church in other matters, and adopt the creed of Romanism 
at once. The church, that is, the majority of the church, the 
Roman church, regards the books commonly called apocryphal 
as canonical. Such is the decree of the council of Trent. 

The only way in which a critical and historical inquirer can 
satisfy himself as to the divine authority of any book of the Old 



INTRODUCTION. 139 

or the New Testament is, to take it up separately, and consider 
what it claims to be, and how far its claims are supported by 
internal and external evidence, and then accept it for what it is. 
If in the Canticles, for instance, we find no mention of God, of 
duty, or of the destination of man, no doctrine of any kind re- 
quiring the faith, or duty requiring the practice, of mankind, 
let us take the book for what, according to the received use of 
language, it purports to be, a collection of amatory songs, and 
award to it, as a work of taste, that portion of praise to which 
we consider it entitled. This would seem to be all that duty 
requires of us. 

There are some, it is true, who maintain that Jesus Christ 
and his apostles have given the sanction of divine authority to 
the genuineness and inspiration of all the books contained in the 
Jewish canon. In regard to the particular question which I have 
been discussing, I might urge that the Canticles are nowhere 
alluded to in the New Testament, as w^ould naturally have been 
the case if they had been regarded as setting forth the mutual 
love of Christ and the church, or of Jehovah and the Jewish 
people, or of God and the human soul. But I have no faith 
whatever in the proposition, that Jesus Christ meant to extend 
his authority and approbation to all that was contained in the ' 
Jewish canon in his time. I do not believe that it was any part 
of his mission to decide questions of criticism and interpretation 
more than of astronomy or geology. Our Saviour referred to 
the books of the Old Testament, just as he used the phraseology 
concerning demoniacs, according to the received opinions of the 
Jews. He had ample work to employ all his time during his 
short ministry on earth, in establishing the fundamental doctrines of 
his religion, without entering into controversy with the Jews on 
matters of criticism and interpretation. If Jesus Christ has settled 
by his divine authority all the various questions which have arisen 
in regard to the character, criticism, and meaning of the Old 
Testament, then one object of his coming into the world was to 
set bounds to criticism, the inevitable consequence of which 
would be to put a stop to that mental improvement and that exact 
knowledge which are the result of criticism. For it is idle to 
pretend that we have a right to study the Old Testament criti- 



140 THE CANTICLES. 

cally, unless we have a right to judge of its contents according 
to the laws of critical and historical investigation. I cannot 
believe that the design of Christ's coming into the world was 
to put a stop to any scientific investigation. Nothing, it appears 
to me, is more likely to promote the cause of skepticism than 
attempts to restrain historical and critical inquiry by dint of 
authority. 

From the references made by our Saviour to the Old Testa- 
ment, we may conclude that in his view it contained much that 
is divine. But that he intended to sanction all that is contained 
in it, or to settle critical questions in regard to the genuineness 
and authority of every book in it, is in the highest degree im- 
probable. The arguments which have been adduced to support 
such a proposition fall very far short of their aim. How could he 
who gave the command, '' Love your enemies, bless them that 
curse you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and perse- 
cute you," have supposed that the barbarous extermination of the 
Canaanites was by express divine command 1 Or how could he 
who died praying for his enemies, "Father, forgive them, for 
they know not what they do ! " have sanctioned the horrible im- 
precations in the hundred and ninth Psalm, or other passages 
of the Old Testament having a similar character 1 

These views, or those which have a similar bearing on the 
Old Testament, have been expressed by divines of different de- 
nominations. The late Dr. Arnold, of the church of England, 
whose praise as a scholar and a Christian is high wherever the 
English language is spoken, regarded it as perfectly consistent 
with the acknowledgment of the divine authority of Christ to 
pronounce the book of Daniel a forgery.* One of the most distin- 
guished orthodox dissenting divines in England, after expressing 
the opinion that the Song of Songs is " a pastoral eclogue, or a 
succession of eclogues, representing in the vivid colors of Asiatic 
rural scenery, with a splendor of artificial decoration, the honorable 
loves of a newly married bride and bridegroom, with some other 
interlocutors," writes thus : — ''It is, I deeply feel and acknowl- 
edge, an awful thing to appear to go in contravention to the gen- 

* See Arnold's Life and Writings, Letter 21 8, p. 369, Amer. edit. 



INTRODUCTION. 141 

erally assumed position, that our Lord and his apostles recognized 
the writings received as sacred by the Jews at that time as the ex- 
clusive and entire canon. But I humbly request that it may be 
considered what is meant by the term canon or rule ; and whether 
that meaning can be attached to a composition which has not in 
it a sentence, or a single word, possessing the nature of a rule, 
directory, standard, or prescription whatsoever, in reference to 
facts, or doctrines, or precepts, or any thing at all of a religious 
kind, except upon a plan of translating its terms and ideas into 
another kind of subjects^ of which not the shadow of intimation is 
given in the composition itself, and against which I am bound 
to protest, as destructive of the certainty of language, and by 
inevitable consequence inflicting a deep injury upon the records 
of revealed truth. If we cannot depend upon the definite and 
constant meaning of words and reference of sentences, as drawn 
out by honest philology, we may as well shut our books, resign 
ourselves to impious indifference, or fall back into the bosom of 
the pretended infallible church. When I reflect upon the diffi- 
culties, using the mildest term, which arise from an endeavour 
to convert passages containing matter merely genealogical, topo- 
graphical, numerical, civil, military, — fragments of antiquity, do- 
mestic or national, presenting no character whatever of religious 
matter, — into a rule of faith and manners, I feel it impossible 
to accept the conclusion ; I can find no end to my anxiety, no 
rest for my faith, no satisfaction for my understanding, till I 
embrace the sentiment, that the qualities of sanctity and inspira- 
tion belong only to the religious and theological element, which 
is diffused through the Old Testament ; and that, w^here this 
element is absent, where there is nothing adapted to communicate 
* doctrine, reproof, correction, or instruction in righteousness,' 
nothing fitted ' to make the man of God perfect, thoroughly fur- 
nished unto every good work,' — there we are not called to ac- 
knowledge any inspiration, nor warranted to assume it. Thus, 
I regard as inspired Scripture all that refers to holy things, all 
that can bear the character of ' oracles of God ' ; and admit the 
rest as appendages, of the nature of private memoirs or public 
records, useful to the antiquary and the philologist, but which 
belong not to the rule of faith or the directory of practice. To 



142 THE CANTICLES. 

this extent, and to this only, can I regard the sanction of the 
New Testament as given to the inspiration of the Old. In other 
words, the quality of inspiration, forming the ground of faith and 
obedience, inheres in every sentence, paragraph, or book, which, 
either directly or by implication, contains religious truth, precept, 
or expectation. This, I humbly think, leaves us every thing that 
a Christian can wish for ; and it liberates us from the pressure 
of difficulties which have often furnished the enemies of revealed 
truth with pretexts for serious objections. Inspiration belongs 
to religious objects ; and to attach it to other things is to lose 
sight of its nature, and misapply its design." * 

To other theories, which assign a mystical meaning to the 
Canticles, some of the arguments which I have used against the 
view adopted by Professor Stuart apply with equal, others with 
less, force. All of them are liable to the decisive objection, that 
they are in opposition to the received use of language. At a 
time when all the books of the Scriptures were interpreted in the 
allegorical mode, as by the church fathers, it was a matter of 
course that the Canticles should be treated in the same way. 
But now that just principles of interpretation have been applied 
to the explanation of most parts of the Bible, it is time to 
give up attempts to allegorize the Canticles. To the popular 
theory, that Christ and the church are denoted, may be urged 
the additional objection, that there is not the least appearance 
of prediction in the book. It implies throughout a state of things 
then existing, or past. This theory is, also, if possible, more 
arbitrary, and more completely destitute of support from the use 
of language and the state of religious knowledge among the con- 
temporaries of the writer, or among the Jews before the time 
of Christ, than any one of the principal theories which have been 
mentioned. Against this view, too, it may be justly urged that 
the book is nowhere alluded to in the New Testament. If the 
subject of it had been supposed to be Christ and the church, it is 
reasonable to suppose that allusions to it would have been very 
frequent, both in the Gospels and Epistles. 

* Scripture Testimony to the Messiah, by John Pye Smith, D. D. 
London, 1837, p. 53, &c. 



INTRODUCTION. I43 

Since, then, there is no reason for supposing- a mystical re- 
ligious meaning in the Canticles, and since their whole tenor and 
complexion are in opposition to such a meaning, the book must 
be interpreted according to the received use of language. Thus 
interpreted, its principal subject, as all will admit, is the recip- 
rocal affection between the sexes, as set forth in poetical repre- 
sentation. There may be some doubt as to the relation in which 
the parties stood to each other, whether in that of loj^rers before 
marriage, or in that of the head of the harem to one of its mem- 
bers, or in that of husband and wife. That the last supposition 
is not true throughout seems to be obvious from the general char- 
acter of the representation, as well as from particular passages. 
It is also not analogous to similar compositions by writers of 
other countries to suppose the aiFection of married life to be the 
subject of the work. 

We have, then, in the Canticles the remains of the amatory 
poetry of the Hebrews. Whether the book is to be regarded as 
one whole, a regular drama, or as a collection of several amatory 
songs or idyls, is a question which may be considered as some- 
what doubtful. Without going into a full discussion of the sub- 
ject, I adopt the latter opinion, which was the opinion of Herder, 
Doederlein, Eichhorn, De Wette, Sir William Jones, and Dr. 
Good, — for the reason that there is not sufficient evidence in favor 
of a general plan or course of dramatic action. Those who have 
maintained the other opinion have been obliged to make a great 
many arbitrary suppositions, and to draw largely on their own 
imaginations, in order to make out any plausible course of action, 
or any general design which the writer intended to accomplish. 

Thus, while Bossuet and Percy suppose the work to be a 
pastoral drama, designed to celebrate the marriage of Solomon 
with the daughter of the king of Egypt, two of the most recent 
of the German writers on the book, very young men,* however, 

* Lied der Liebe, das alteste und schonste aus dem Morgenlande. 
Uebersetzt und asthetisch erklart von Friedrich Wilhelm Carl Um- 
breit. Heidelberg, 1828. 

Das Hohelied Salome's (ibersetzt, etc., von Dr. Georg Heinrich 
August Ewald. Gottingen, 1826. 



144 THE CANTICLES. 

suppose that it is designed to set forth the praise of true love in 
humble life, and how an innocent country maiden resisted all the 
arts of King Solomon to seduce her from her faith to her shep- 
herd lover. Theories as diverse as these may be expected, when 
a design or plan is sought where there is none to be found. 
Respecting the first of these theories, it may be remarked that 
there is very little in the book which seems suited to the occasion 
of royal uuptials ; that there are no allusions to Solomon which 
imply that he was the subject of the composition, except in 
ch. iii. 6-11, and, perhaps, ch. i. 9-ii. 7 ; and that there is too 
much of rural life in it to be suited to the scene of a royal court. 
The objection to the second theory is, that it comes more from 
the imagination of the interpreter than from the language of the 
author. Dr. Good remarks: — " The Song of Songs cannot be 
one connected epithalamium, since the transitions are too abrupt 
for the wildest flights of the Oriental muse, and evidently imply 
a variety of openings and conclusions ; while, as a regular drama, 
it is deficient in almost every requisite that could give it such a 
classification ; it has neither dramatic fable nor action, neither 
involution nor catastrophe ; it is without a beginning, a middle, 
or an end. To call it such is to injure it essentially ; it is to raise 
expectations which can never be gratified, and to force parts upon 
parts which have no possible connection." * 

It is true that it is not easy to determine with confidence 
where each song begins and ends. But the supposition that the 
book contains several separate pieces is attended with fewer diffi- 
culties than that which regards it as one poem of the dramatic 
kind. It certainly has the advantage of not ascribing to the 
author more than he has expressed. The manner of dividing 
the book which seems to me most probable is indicated in the 
text. 

That all these separate songs or poems proceeded from one 
author is now so general an opinion of the best critics, that it 
is not necessary to discuss the subject. Whether this author 
were Solomon admits of greater doubt. When we consider how 
many of the inscriptions in the book of Psalms are at variance 

* See Preface to his translation of the Canticles. 



INTRODUCTION. 145 

with their contents, we cannot attach much importance to the 
title of this book. The diction,* in its Aramaean character, varies 
so much from that of the Proverbs, that many modern critics 
have concluded that it proceeded from a different author. There 
are also passages which do not well harmonize with the suppo- 
sition that Solomon was the author; such as ch. i. 4, 5, iii. 
6-11, vii. 5, viii. 11, 12. On the other hand, there seem to 
be several allusions to the circumstances and historical relations 
of the age of Solomon, or that immediately succeeding it. See 
i. 4, 5, 9, 12, iii. 7, &c., iv. 4, vi. 4, 8, 9, viii. II, 12. The 
spirit and character of the poetry seem also to agree well with the 
most flourishing period of Hebrew literature. The peculiar dic- 
tion is supposed by De Wette to be susceptible of explanation by 
maintaining that these songs were preserved orally in the mouths 
of the people, and were thus in some measure altered. Others 
seek an explanation of this peculiarity in the province of Pales- 
tine to which the writer may have belonged. Either of these 
suppositions appears to me more probable than that the author 
wrote long after the Captivity, and transferred himself back to 
the age of Solomon. I therefore suppose the Canticles to have 
been written by some Jewish poet, either in the reign of Solomon 
or soon after it. 

For a list of interpreters of the Canticles, see the introduction 
to this book in Rosenmiiller's Scholia. Of those which he has 
not mentioned, I have seen the translations and notes of Bishop 
Percy, Thomas Williams, and John Mason Good. 

* On this topic, see the Introductions of Jahn or De Wette. 



13 



THE CANTICLES. 



I. 

An innocent country maiden, accompanied by virgins, is anxious to 
see her lover. — Ch. i. 2-8. 

2 M. O THAT he would kiss me with one of the kisses of 

his mouth ! 
For thy love is better than wine. 

3 Because of the savor of thy precious perfumes 
(Thy name is like fragrant oil poured forth), 
Therefore do the virgins love thee. 

4 Draw me ; we will run after thee ! 
The king will lead me to his chambers ! 
We will be glad and rejoice in thee ; 
We will praise thy love more than wine. 
Sincerely do they love thee ! 

5 I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, 
As the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. 

6 Gaze not upon me because I am black, 
Because the sun has looked upon me ! 
My mother's sons were angry' with me ; 
They made me keeper of the vineyards ; 
My vineyard, my own, have I not kept. 

7 Tell me, thou whom my soul, loves, where thou feedest 

thy flock, 



148 THE CANTICLES. [Ch. i. 

Where thou leadest it to rest at noon ; 
For why should I be like a veiled one among the flocks 
of thy companions ? 

8 V. If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, 
Trace thou thy way by the tracks of the flock, 
And feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents. 



II. 

Conversation between a lover and maiden. — Ch. i. 9- ii. 7. 

9 L, To the horses in the chariots of Pharaoh 
Do I compare thee, my love ! 

10 Comely are thy cheeks with rows of jewels, 
Thy neck with strings of pearls. 

11 Golden chains will we make for thee, 
With studs of silver. 

12 M, While the king reclines at his table, 
My spikenard sends forth its fragrance. 

13 A bunch of myrrh is my beloved to me, 
He shall abide between my breasts. 

14 My beloved is to me a cluster of cypress-flowers 
From the gardens of Engedi. 

15 L. Behold, thou art fair, my love, behold, thou art fair ! 
Thine eyes are doves. 

16 M. Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, lovely ; 
And green is our bed. 

17 The cedars are the beams of our house, 
And its roof the cypresses. 



Ch. II.] THE CANTICLES. 149 

1 I am only a harvest-flower of Sharon, 
A lily of the valleys. 

2 L, As the lily among thorns, 

So is my love among the daughters. 

3 M. As the apple-tree among the trees of the forest. 
So is my beloved among the sons. 

In his shadow I love to sit down. 
And his fruit is sweet to my taste. 

4 He leads me to his banqueting-house, 
And his banner over me is love. 
Strengthen me with raisins, 

5 Refresh me with apples ! 
For I am sick of love. 

6 His left hand is under my head 
And his right hand embraces me ! 

7 I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, 
By the gazelles, and by the hinds of the field, 

That ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please ! 



IIT. 

The maiden's meeting with her lover in the vineyard. — Ch. ii. 8-17, 

8 M, The voice of my beloved ! 
Behold, he comes. 

Leaping upon the mountains. 
Bounding over the hills. 

9 Like a gazelle is my beloved. 
Or a young hind. 

Behold, he stands behind our wall ; 
13* 



150 THE CANTICLES. [Ch hi. 

He is looking in at the windows ; 
He glances through the lattice. 

10 My beloved speaks, and says to nie, 

" Rise up, nay love, my fair one, and conae away ! 

11 For, lo, the winter is past. 
The rain is over and gone ; 

12 The flowers appear on the earth ; 

The time of the singing of birds is come, 

And the voice of the turtle is heard in our land ; 

13 The fig-tree is spicing its green fruit. 
The vines in blossom give forth fragrance. 
Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away ! 

14 O my dove, that art in the recesses of the rock, 
In the hiding-places of the steep craggy mountain. 
Let me see thy face. 

Let me hear thy voice ! 
For sweet is thy voice, 
And thy face lovely." 

15 Take ye for us the foxes. 

The little foxes that spoil the vines, 
For our vines are now in blossom. 

16 My beloved is mine, and I am his ; 
He feeds among the lilies. 

17 When the day breathes, and the shadows flee away. 
Come again, my beloved, like a gazelle, or a young hind. 
Upon the craggy mountains. 



IV. 

The maiden's search for her lover. — Ch. hi. 1-5. 

1 M, Upon my bed, in the night, 
I sought him whom my soul loves ; 
I sought him, but found him not. 



Ch. III.] THE CANTICLES. 151 

2 I will arise now [said I], and go about the city ; 

In the streets and the broad ways will I seek him whom 

my soul loves ; 
I sought him, but found him not. 

3 The watchmen who go about the city found me ; 
"Have you seen" [said I] "him whom my soul loves? " 

4 I had but just passed them, 

When I found him whom my soul loves ; 

I held him, and would not let him go, 

Till I had brought him into my mother's house, 

Into the apartment of her that bore me. 

5 I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, 
By the gazelles, and by the hinds of the field. 

That ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please. 



V. 

A nuptial song relating to Solomon ; or, The conducting of a spouse 
of Solomon to his palace. — Ch. hi. 6-11. 

6 Who is this that comes up from the wilderness, 
Like pillars of smoke. 

Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense. 
With all the powders of the merchant ? 

7 Behold, the carriage of Solomon ! 
Threescore valiant men are around it, 
Of the valiant men of Israel. 

8 They all wear swords. 
Being skilled in war. 

Every one has his sword girded upon his thigh, 
On account of danger in the night. 

9 King Solomon made for himself a carriage 
Of the wood of Lebanon. 



152 THE CANTICLES. [Ch. iv. 

10 The pillars thereof he made of silver, 
The railing of gold, 

The seat of purple. 

Its interior curiously wrought by a lovely one of the 
daughters of Jerusalem. 

11 Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, 
And behold King Solomon 

In the crown with which his mother crowned him. 

In the day of his espousals. 

In the day of the gladness of his heart. 



VI. 

Conversation between a lover and maiden. — Ch. iv, - v. 1. 

1 L, Behold, thou art fair, my love ! behold, thou art fair ! 
Thine eyes are doves behind thy veil ; 

Thy locks are like a flock of goats 
Which lie down on Mount Gilead ; 

2 Thy teeth like a flock of shorn sheep. 
Which come up from the washing-place, 
Of which every one bears twins, 

And none is barren among them ; 

3 Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet. 
And thy mouth comely ; 

Thy cheeks are like a divided pomegranate behind thy veil ; 

4 Thy neck is like the tower of David, 
Built for an armory. 

In which there hang a thousand bucklers, 
All shields of mighty men ; 

5 Thy two breasts are like two young twin gazelles. 
That feed among the lilies. 



Ch. IV.] THE CANTICLES. I53 

6 When the day breathes, and the shadows flee away, 
I will betake me to the mountain of myrrh. 

And the hill of frankincense. 

7 Thou art all fair, my love ; 
There is no spot in thee ! 

8 Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse. 
With me from Lebanon ! 

Look from the top of Amana, 
From the top of Senir and Hermon, 
From the dens of the lions. 
From the mountains of the leopards. 

9 Thou hast taken captive my heart, my sister, my spouse ; 
Thou hast taken captive my heart with one of thine eyes. 
With one chain of thy neck. 

10 How sweet is thy love, my sister, my spouse ! 
How much more precious thy caresses than wine, 
And the fragrance of thy perfumes than all spices ! 

11 Thy lips, O my spouse, drop the honeycomb! 
Honey and milk are under thy tongue. 

And the fragrance of thy garments is as the fragrance of 
Lebanon. 

12 A garden inclosed art thou, my sister, my spouse ; 
A spring shut up, a fountain sealed ; 

13 Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with choicest 

fruits, 
Alhenna and spikenard, 

14 Spikenard and saffron. 
Sweet cane and cinnamon, 
With all trees of frankincense, 
Myrrh and aloes. 

With all the chief spices ; 

15 A fountain of the gardens, 
A well of living waters, 

A stream that flows from Lebanon ! 



154 THE CANTICLES. [Ch. v. 

16 M. Awake, O north wind, and come, thou south ! 
Blow upon my garden, 
That its spices may flow out ! 
May my beloved come to his garden, 
And eat his pleasant fruits. 

1 L. I am come to my garden, my sister, my spouse ! 
I gather my myrrh with my balsam, 
I eat my honey with my grape-syrup, 
I drink my wine with my milk. ' 
Eat, O friends ! 
Drink, yea, drink abundantly, my beloved companions ! • 



VII. 

The maiden's search for her lover by night, and praise of his beaut3^ 
Ch. V. 2-vi. 3. 

2 M. 1 SLEPT, but my heart was awake \ 

It was the voice of my beloved, who was knocking : 

" Open to me, my sister, my spouse. 

My dove, my perfect one ! 

For my head is filled with dew. 

And my locks with the drops of the night." 

3 " I have taken off my vest [said I] ; . 
How shall I put it on ? 

I have washed my feet ; 
How shall I soil them ? " 

4 My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door. 
And my heart was moved for him. 

5 I rose up to open to my beloved. 
And my hands dropped with myrrh. 

And my fingers with self-flowing myrrh, upon the handles 
of the bolt. 



Ch. v.] THE CANTICLES. 155 

6 I opened to my beloved, 

But my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone. 
I was not in my senses while he spake with me ! 
I sought him, but could not find him ; 
I called him, but he gave me no answer. 

7 The watchmen that go about the city found me ; 
They smote me, they wounded me ; 

The keepers of the walls took away from me my veil. 

8 I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem^ 
If ye should find my beloved, — 

What will ye tell him ? — 
That I am sick of love. 

9 F. What is thy beloved more than another beloved, 
O thou fairest among women ! 

What is thy beloved more than another beloved, 
That thus thou dost charge us .? 

10 M. My beloved is white and ruddy. 
The chief among ten thousand. 

11 His head is as the most fine gold ; 
His locks waving palm-branches. 
Black as a raven ; 

12 His eyes are doves by streams of water, 
Washed with milk, dwelling in fulness ; 

13 His cheeks are like a bed of balsam. 
Like beds of spices ; 

His lips are lilies 

Dropping self-flowing myrrh ; 

14 His hands are gold rings set with chrysolite ; 

His body is wrought- work of ivory, overlaid with sapphires ; 

15 His legs are marble pillars, resting on pedestals of fine gold ; 
His aspect is like Lebanon, 

Majestic like the cedars ; 



156 THE CANTICLES. [Ch. vi. 

16 His mouth is sweetness, 
His whole being, loveliness. 
This is my beloved. 
This my friend, 
O ye daughters of Jerusalem ! 

F. Whither is thy beloved gone, thou fairest among 
women ? 
Whither has thy beloved betaken himself ? 
That we may seek him with thee. 

2 M, My beloved is gone down to his garden. 
To the beds of balsam. 

To feed in the gardens. 
And to gather lilies. 

3 I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine ; 
He feeds among the lilies. 



VIII. 

The lover's praise of the object of his attachment. — Ch. vi. 4-9. 

4 Beautiful art thou, my love, as Tirzah, 
Lovely as Jerusalem ; 

But terrible as an army with banners. 

5 Turn away thine eyes from me ! 
They overpower me ! 

Thy locks are like a flock of goats. 
Which lie down upon Gilead. 

6 Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep. 
Which come up from the washing-place. 
Of which every one has twins, 

And none is barren among them. 



Ch. VI.] THE CANTICLES. 157 

7 As a divided pomegranate 
Are thy cheeks behind thy veil. 

8 Threescore are the queens, and fourscore the concu- 

bines, 
And the maidens without number. 

9 But my dove, my undefiled, is the one ; 
She is the incomparable one of her mother, 
The darling of her that bore her. 

The daughters saw her, and blessed her ; 

The queens and the concubines, and they praised her. 



IX. 

Conversation between a lover and maiden. — Ch. vi. lO-viii. 4. 

10 L, Who is this that looks forth like the morning, 
Fair as the moon, bright as the sun. 

And terrible as an army- with banners ? 

11 M. I went down into the garden of nuts, 
To see the green valley. 

To see whether the vine blossomed. 
And the pomegranates budded. 

12 Or ever I was av^are. 

My soul had made me like the chariots of the prince's 
train. 

13 V, Return, return, O Shulamite, 
Return, return, that we may look upon thee ! 

M, Why. should ye look upon the Shulamite, 
As upon a dance of the hosts ? 
14 



158 THE CANTICLES. [Ch. vii. 

1 L. How beautiful are thy feet in sandals, O prince's 

daughter ! 
The roundings of thy hips are like neck ornaments, 
The work of the hands of the artificer ; 

2 Thy navel is like a round goblet, that wants not the spiced 

wine ; 
Thy belly like a heap of wheat, inclosed with lilies ; 

3 Thy two breasts are like two young twin gazelles ; 

4 Thy neck is as a tower of ivory ; 

Thine eyes are like the pools at Heshbon, by the gate of 

Bath-rabbim ; 
Thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon, which looks toward 

Damascus ; 

5 Thy head upon thee is like Carmel, 
And the hair of thy head like purple ; 
The king is captivated by thy locks. 

6 How fair, how pleasant art thou, love, in delights ! 

7 This thy stature is like the palm-tree. 
And thy breasts like clusters of dates. 

8 I will go up, say I to myself, upon the palm-tree ; 
I will take hold of its boughs. 

And thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine, 
And the fragrance of thy nose like apples, 

9 And thy mouth like wine 

M, — that goes down smoothly for my beloved. 
Flowing over the lips of them that sleep. 

10 I am my beloved's. 

And his desire is toward me. 

11 Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the country ; 
Let us lodge in the villages ! 

12 Then will we go early to the vineyards. 
To see whether the vine puts forth. 



Ch. VIII.] THE CANTICLES. 159 

Whether its blossom opens, 
And the pomegranates bud forth ; 
There will I give thee my love ! 
13 The love-apples give forth fragrance ; 

And at our doors are all kinds of precious fruits, new and 

old: 
I have kept them for thee, my beloved ! 

1 O that thou wert as my brother, 
That sucked the breast of my mother ! 
When I found thee abroad I might kiss thee, 
And for it no one would deride me. 

2 I will lead thee, and bring thee into my mother's house, 

that thou mayst teach me ; 
I will give thee spiced wine to drink, and the juice of my 
pomegranates. 

3 His left hand is under my head. 
And his right hand embraces me. 

4 I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, 
That ye stir not up, nor awake my love. 

Till he please ! 



X. 

Chorus of virgins, maiden, and lover. — Ch. viii. 5-7. 

5 V. Who is this that comes up from the wilderness. 
Leaning upon her beloved ? 

M. Under the apple-tree I excited thy love ; 
There thy mother brought thee forth ; 
There she that bore thee brought thee forth ! 



leO THE CANTICLES. [Ch. viii. 

6 O, set me as a seal upon thy heart ; 
As a seal upon thine arm ! 

For love is strong as death ; 
True love is firm as the grave ; 
Its flames are flames of fire, 
The fire of Jehovah. 

7 Many waters cannot quench love, 
Nor can the floods drown it. 

Would a man give all the wealth of his house for love. 
It would be utterly contemned. 



XI. 



A conversation of two brothers about their sister, with her remarks, 
Ch. viii. 8-12. 

8 B, We have a sister who is yet young ; 
She is yet without breasts. 

What shall we do with our sister. 
When she shall be spoken for ? 

9 If she be a wall. 

We will build upon it a silver tower ; 

If she be an open gate. 

We will inclose her with doors of cedar. 

10 S/1 am a wall, and my breasts like towers ; 
Therefore shall I be in his eyes as one that finds peace. 

11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; 
He let out the vineyard to keepers ; 

Every one was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for 
its fruit. 



Ch. VIII.] THE CANTICLES. 161 

12 My vineyard is before my eyes. 
Be thine the thousand, O Solonaon, 
And two hundred to the keepers of its fruit ! 



- XII. 

The lover sent away. A fragment. — Ch. viii. 13, 14. 

13 -L. Thou that dwellest in the gardens ! 
Friends Hsten to thy voice ; 

Let me hear thee ! 

14 M. Fly, my beloved ! like a gazelle, or a young hind, 
Upon the mountains of spices. 



14^ 



NOTES. 



NOTES 



ON 



THE PROVERBS, 



Ch. I. 1-6. These verses seem to be designed as a preface, 
pointing out the object and use of the book of Proverbs. 

2. — wisdom — instruction. It is impossible to give to these 
and similar terms a precise definition, which shall apply to all 
cases in which they are used. For their meaning is more or 
less extensive and general, according to the connection in which 
they stand. It may be said, however, that the term rendered 
wisdom, in its most common use in this book, denotes a general 
knowledge of all those subjects, divine and human, which ought 
to engage the mind of man ; and especially that which may be 
applied to the conduct of life. It has so extensive a significa- 
tion, however, as to denote the attributes of God manifested in 
the creation of the world. The term rendered instruction more 
commonly denotes that knowledge, or education, which relates to 
morals and manners ; but the particular meaning and application 
of both these terms can be learned only from the context in the 
passages in which they occur. The same remark applies to the 
terms understanding, knowledge, and some others, which are some- 
times interchanged with the terms above mentioned. Especially, 
the connection must show when any of these terms relate to re- 
ligious subjects, when to moral conduct, and when to knowledge 
in general. — words of understanding : i. e. which come from 
the intelligent, and tend to make the hearer intelligent. 



166 NOTES. 

3. — instruction of prudence : i. e. such instruction as tends to 
make one prudent. — justice^ equity^ uprightness. These terms 
denote the same thing, and are heaped together in order to give 
weight to the sentiment. 

4. — to the simple : i. e. to him who, by reason of inexperience, 
is liable to be imposed upon. We have an illustration of the kind 
of simplicity referred to in this proverb in the term young man, in 
the parallel line. 

5. The wise man, &c. The maxims in this book are designed 
not only for the inexperienced and ignorant. He that is wise 
already will not lose his labor in reading it, but will become still 
wiser. 

6. — deep maxim — dark sayings : i. e. such pointed, concise, 
figurative, or enigmatical sentences and maxims, as are contained in 
the book of Proverbs. The Hebrew term n^^^'lD seems here to de- 
note not an interpretation, but a thing to he interpreted, i. e. a deep 
maxim. The Sept. has it oxorsubv ?.6yov. Hodgson renders the 
term a mystery. 

7. The fear of Jehovah. This expression, according to Scripture 
usage, evidently has no exclusive reference to the emotion of fear, 
but to all those sentiments which man ought to entertain towards 
God. — beginning of knowledge. The Hebrew term sometimes de- 
notes the first of its kind, the most excellent part. Hence, the line 
may be rendered, " The fear of Jehovah is the perfection of knowl- 
edge "; and so some critics have rendered it; but as in ch. ix. 10 
a different Hebrew word is used, which must be rendered begin- 
ning, I prefer to understand the line as conveying the idea, that 
religion is the beginning or foundation of all valuable knowledge, 
without which men remain ignorant and foolish, however great 
their attainments in merely human knowledge. The religious man 
only will become wise. — Fools : i. e. impious fools. The idea 
of impiety was often associated with the Hebrew term. 

8. Hear. This expression implies attention and obedience. It 
is the opposite of neglect, in the parallel line. — O my son. The 
Hebrews and other Orientals addressed their pupils, hearers, or 
readers, by the endearing appellation of son. The terms dear 
reader, friend, &c., in some modern books, correspond to it. 

9. — graceful wreath — chains, &c. : i. e. they shall, being 
followed, add more to thy beauty, and win more approbation and 
favor for thee from God and good men, than any ornaments which 
thy parents can place upon thy head or around thy neck. 



THE PROVERBS. 167 

11. — icithout cause : i. e. without the slightest provocation 
from our victims, but solely from the love of plunder. 

12. Let us sicallow them up. The metaphor drawn from the 
lying in tcait of a wild beast is here continued in the language, 
let us swallow them up, i. e. like those monsters which come 
suddenly upon their prey and wholly devour it, so as to leave no 
more trace behind than there is of one who is dead, buried, and 
gone to the under-world. The same idea is expressed in the 
parallel line. 

14. — thy lot : i. e. though thou art young, thou shalt have an 
equal share in the plunder with us veterans of the trade. Thou 
shalt dysiw lots with us, whenever we determine, by casting lots, 
to whom any portion of the plunder we have gained shall belong. 
See Ps. xxii. 18. — one purse: containing the money we obtain, 
of which all shall have a right to the same share. 

17. For as the net is spread in vain. Comparing vii. 23, the 
meaning seems to be, that it is in vain to the silly bird which 
sees the spreading of the net, and does not take warning from it; 
and that the exhortation is, not to be so headstrong and incautious 
as the silly birds, who use to run into the net, although they see 
the fowler laying it before their eyes. Some, however, refer the 
words in vain to the fowler, and suppose the meaning to be, 
that the fowler loses his labor who sets his net while the bird 
is looking on, — because the bird, perceiving the danger, will 
not come to the bait ; and that those who are not warned by the 
evil consequences of wickedness, which the writer sets forth, 
are sillier than the birds. While plotting destruction for others, 
they are blind to the retribution which is sure to fall upon them- 
selves. 

19. It takes away the life, &c. : i. e. it brings sudden and vio- 
lent death upon those who have gained possession of it. 

20. In opposition to the enticements of the wicked, wisdom is 
now personified as a teacher, preaching to the sons of men. It is 
evident from this description, as well as from chapters viii. and ix., 
that a practical regard to God and duty, as well as a speculative 
knowledge of divine and human things, is included in the author's 
idea of wisdom. The circumstance, that wisdom, personified as a 
teacher, is represented as proclaiming her lessons in the streets, 
highways, &c., is supposed by some to denote that in active life 
only is that rich fountain of experience from which wisdom is 
derived. But it may be doubted whether this particular idea was 



168 NOTES. 

in the author's mind. I rather suppose, that, having personified 
wisdom as a teacher, he represents her as giving hei: lessons w^here 
it was customary for teachers and philosophers in ancient times to 
give their lessons. If the language implies any thing more, it is, 
that the lessons of wisdom are within the reach of all, presenting 
urgent claims to their attention. Bishop Patrick paraphrases verse 
twentieth thus : — " Let me advise you, therefore, rather to heark- 
en to the manifold instructions of wisdom, whose most excellent 
counsels you cannot but be as well acquainted withal, as you are 
with that which is proclaimed in the open streets ; for you hear 
them in the plain dictates of your own consciences, in the laws of 
God, in the mouth of his prophets and ministers, in the admoni- 
tions and examples of good men, and in the course of his provi- 
dence and wise government, which call upon you more earnestly 
and loudly than these seducers to follow and obey them." 

22. — simple ones ■ — simpleness — scoffers — fools. If by these 
different terms the author refers to different classes of persons, — 
which may be doubted, — the first class may denote the wicked 
through inexperience, weakness, and credulity ; the second, open 
scoffers at religion and virtue ; the third, hardened irreligious and 
vicious men, who are yet self-satisfied and regard themselves as 
wiser than persons of an opposite character. 

23. — pour out : The mouth of wisdom is represented as a 
fountain copiously pouring forth its streams. — my spirit : i. e. 
my mind. 

24. — stretched out my hand : It is more agreeable to usage to 
understand this as a beckoning gesture, inviting the hearer to come, 
than as one designed to enforce the language of the speaker, or to 
offer assistance. See Is. xiii. 2 and Ixv. 2. 

28. — early : literally, in the morning: i. e. with great earnest- 
ness and diligence ; as those who rise early in the morning for any 
object are in earnest about it. The meaning of the whole verse 
is, that the despisers of wisdom will not be able to escape from the 
calamity in which they are involved. 

31. — eat of the fruit, &c. " Therefore, as it is just that men 
should reap what they sow, and eat such fruit as they plant, so 
these men shall suffer the punishments which their wicked doings 
naturally produce ; nay, be glutted and surfeited with the miserable 
effects of their own counsels and contrivances." Patrick. 

32. — the falling away of the simple : i. e. from duty and 
wisdom. " For let them alone, and they need nobody but them- 



THE PROVERBS. 169 

selves to destroy them ; their escaping dangers only making them 
more audacious to run into them." Patrick. 

Ch. II. 3. — if thou wilt call aloud^ &c. : i. e. if thou wilt, as it 
were, give her a strong and pressing invitation to come and take 
possession of thy soul. 

5. Then shalt thou understand^ &c. In ch. i. 7, he represents re- 
ligion as the condition of attaining true wisdom. Here he represents 
religion as the effect of a sincere and earnest search after wisdom. 

6. For Jehovah gives wisdom : And let no one doubt that he 
will find true wisdom, if he seek for it in the right way ; for God 
gives it to such as diligently seek for it. Comp. Job xxxii. 8, 
xxxviii. 36, Dan. ii. 21, James i. 5, 17. 

9. Then shalt thou understand^ &c. This verse is connected in 
sense with verse 5 ; verses 6, 7, and 8 being parenthetic. 

10. — wisdom enters — knowledge is pleasant^ &c. The lan- 
guage in this verse seems to be borrowed from the entertainment 
of guests. Wisdom then enters the heart, as her habitation, and 
is pleasant to one, i. e. is cherished by him as his dearest friend, 
when it is not merely speculative, but a living, practical principle. 

16. — wife of another : i. e. the adulteress, who is here not a 
foreigner; comp. ver. 17. It is commonly said that the adulteress is 
called a strange woman, because that class of people were usually 
women of foreign origin. It is probable, however, that the term 
itself often denotes simply one of a strange family, one not belong- 
ing to the family of the tempted person. 

17. — friend of her youth : i. e. the husband to whom she was 
united when young. — covenant of her God : i. e. the marriage 
covenant, in contracting which, God was called to witness by the 
parties. Comp. Mai. ii. 14. 

18. — the dead : D''5<3'^5 literally, the weak ; the shades or 
ghosts of the dead, which the ancient Hebrews represented as 
dwelling together in Sheol, destitute of blood and animal life, and 
therefore weak and languid, like a sick person (Is. xiv. 10), but 
yet having some faculties, such as perception and memory. 

19. — return again; — paths of life. The image of the pre- 
ceding verse seems to be continued, and the representation is that 
it is as difficult for one who has become intimate with an adulteress 
to recover from the moral and temporal ruin in which he involves 
himself, as it is for one who has gone down to the place of the 
dead to return to the land of the living. 

15 



170 NOTES. 

21. — dwell in the land. To dwell till death in the land of 
Israel, the glory of all lands, the land of many promises, and not 
to be driven from it into a foreign country, was considered an ines- 
timable blessing by every true Hebrew. Hence it was used as an 
image of the highest good. It is often difficult, as in this passage, 
to decide whether the expression is to be understood in a literal 
or a figurative sense. In Matt. v. 5, occurs the figurative use of 
the expression. 

Ch. III. 2. — peace : i. e. prosperity, satisfaction, that which 
is the object of every one's desire and pursuit, and that which he 
wishes for his friend. 

3. — mercy and truth. On account of the latter clause of the 
verse, I understand these words as denoting the duties of hu- 
manity, sincerity, and justice in man. Others, on account of the 
use of the terms in other passages to denote the favor of God, 
and his faithfulness to his promises, understand them in the same 
sense here ; and suppose the pronoun themy in the next line, to 
refer back to precepts in verse 1. — around thy neck : i. e. let 
them never be forgotten or neglected, as you cannot fail to see 
and care for the ornamental chains which you wear around your 
neck. 

5. — lean not, &c., as one leans upon a staff. The precept in 
this line is limited and explained by the preceding parallel line. 
It is, that no one should trust to gain the ends which he seeks, 
or to obtain happiness, by his own sagacity and wisdom, without 
the divine blessing ; that the favor of God is more essential to a 
happy life, than any labored plans which the human understanding 
can devise. 

8. — thy navel. This is probably meant to include the adjacent 
parts. The metaphor is drawn from the practice of the healing 
art in the East, which made great use of external applications to 
the stomach and belly. " The navel of an infant is often very 
clumsily managed in the East. Hence it is no uncommon thing to 
see that part greatly enlarged and diseased. Reference to the 
navel, as connected with prosperity, is still common. Has a per- 
son risen from poverty to affluence, it is said, His navel is grown 
much larger. Should he insult the man from whom he derived 
his prosperity, the latter will ask. Who made your navel to grow?" 
Roberts. — moisture to thy bones : The bones being supposed to 
be dried up in sickness. See xvii. 22, Job xxi. 24, Ps. cii. 3. 



THE PROVERBS. 171 

9. Honor Jehovah, &c. : i. e. Obey the directions of the law, by 
bringing thy obiations to the house of God, and offering the first 
fruits of the harvest and the vintage, in token of thy gratitude and 
dependence, 

18, — tree of life : L e. a tree, the fruits of which lengthen life. 
It is also probable that the expression has reference to the tree of 
life in paradise. Gen. ii. 9, iii. 22, here used as the emblem of 
constant and durable happiness. 

20. — deeps burst forth. See Job xxxviii. 8, Hab, iii. 9. 

22. — life to thy soul : i. e. these precepts, being observed, will 
give thee animation, cheerfulness, and vigor, when other things fail 
thee. — grace to thy neck : i. e. they shall be ornamental to thee, 
and secure thee favor and admiration more than the neck-chain 
which is worn to adorn the body. Comp, i. 9. 

34. — treats scornfully. I suppose this means simply that God 
will punish the scorners, without reference to any particular mode 
of punishment. So, in the New Testament, we read, " If any man 
corrupt the temple of God, God will corrupt him"; as it stands in 
the original. 1 Cor. iii. 17. The particular expressions used, 
having reference to the sin which is punished, are merely for 
strength and emphasis. A similar use of threatening language is 
very common in conversation. 

35. — bear off : i. e. they shall take it up, and bear it off, as 
their portion. 

Ch. IV. 1. — of a father. See the note on i. 8. 

4. — and live. An emphatic expression, and sufficiently agree- 
able to the English, as well as the Hebrew, idiom, for "thou shalt 
live," i. e. live happily. 

7. — principal thing : i. e. the most excellent of all possessions. 

9, See the note on i. 9. 

12. — goest, — runnest : " If thy actions and designs have no 
other rule, thou shalt be at ease, and free from those straits and 
difficulties which others meet withal ; and, in case thy business 
shall require haste, this will be the safest, as well as the most in- 
offensive (if not the shortest), way to accomplish thy ends." 

13. — thy life : i. e. thy most precious treasure, that upon which 
all happiness depends. 

16. — caused some to fall : i. e. to stumble and fall over the 
stumbling-blocks set in their path. The expression in this verse 
may denote that the wicked rest not till they have brought some 



172 NOTES. 

one to ruin by plunder, &c. ; or till they have seduced some one 
to become a partaker of their wickedness. The former meaning 
seems to be most favored by the connection. 

17. — bread of wickedness^ — wine of violence : i. e. obtained by 
dishonesty and rapine, and not by honest labors. Others under- 
stand the verse as denoting that it is very agreeable to the wricked, 
like bread and wine to them, to do mischief. 

18. — light of dawn : i. e. it is full of brightness and joy. 
Their way shines to themselves, in the joy and comfort of it ; be- 
fore others, in the lustre and honor of it. It is a growing light ; it 
shines more and more ; not like the light of a meteor, which soon 
disappears, or that of a candle, which burns dim, and burns down ; 
but like that of the dawn, which is soon followed by that of the 
rising sun, which will arrive, in the end, at the perfect day. The 
light of the dayspring will at length be noonday light, and it is 
this to which the righteous are pressing forward. 

19. —at what they stumble : i. e. like travellers in a dark an^ 
dangerous road, they are in constant danger of falling into ruin. 

21. — within thy heart : i. e. as a most precious treasure, which 
is kept not in an outer apartment, but in the innermost recesses of 
the house. 

23. For from it goes forth life. I understand this line to mean, 
that, as natural life, man's most precious possession, depends upon 
the heart, so his true happiness, his well-being, depends upon a 
well regulated mind and well regulated affections. See verse 13. 

25. Let thine eyes look straight forward. The phraseology of 
this verse is borrowed from a traveller who keeps fixed in the 
direction of the road, and does not allow his eyes to wander on 
one side and the other, lest by so doing he should stumble over 
a stone, or fall into a hole. The precept points out the necessity 
of being on our guard against the seductions of the wicked, of 
directing all our actions by a good intention to a right end, and of 
not allowing the mind to be diverted from it by any temptations. 

Ch. V. 2. — lips may preserve knowledge : i. e. not only lay 
up wisdom for thyself, but be ready to impart it, as thou shalt have 
opportunity. 

4. But in the end she is, &c. : literally, But her end is, &c. : 
i. e. the end to which she leads her victims. 

5. — - the under-world. The meaning is, that the harlot leads 
those that follow her to an untimely and a miserable end. 



THE PROVERBS. I73 

6. — gives no heed : obSH'tB, cavet, ne perpendat. See 
Ges. Gramm., p. 288. — Her paths sink : vice ejus nutant. Ges. 
I have varied the metaphor a little. I suppose the meaning to be 
that the adulteress is near destruction. She walks in a path that 
leads to the under- world, or to destruction. The implication is, 
that she draws her followers with her. — when she thinks not of 
it: i. e. suddenly, unexpectedly, before she is. aware of her danger. 
See Job ix. 25, and the note; or Ges. Lex. on '^'y> . Otherwise, 
" and she cares not for it." Otherwise, " Her paths wander, she 
knows not where." 

9. — thy bloom : i. e. the beauty and strength of thy body. 
— thy years : i. e. thy life. - — others, &c. The plural may be 
used as referring not only to the harlot, but her base attendants and 
children. 

11. — thy flesh and thy body are consumed : i. e. well-nigh con- 
sumed ; when thou art reduced to a mere skeleton. 

14. In the midst of the congregation, &c. : i. e. so as to be a 
public example and a shameful spectacle to all men. Some sup- 
pose that the line has reference to condemnation for adultery in 
court. 

15. Drink water, &c. : i. e. Be faithful to thine own marriage 
bed. Similar images occur in Numb. xxiv. 7 ; Ps. Ixviii. 26 j 
Cant;, iv. 12; Is. xlviii. 1; Hos. xiii. 15; Sirach xxvi. 12. 

16. — thy fountains, &c. : i. e. thy children, which shall be 
numerous. 

17. — thee alone : i. e. thou mayst be confident that the children 
of your wife are truly yours ; whereas, the children of harlots are 
of uncertain paternity. Comp. Sirach xxvi. 19—21. 

18. — thy fountain : i. e. thy wife. — shall be blessed : i. e. 
have a numerous offspring. Comp. Ps. cxxviii. 3. 

19. ^ lovely hind, a graceful mountain-goat. The Arabs have 
the proverbial expression, — " More beautiful than the ibex, or 
mountain-goat." See Bochart, Tom, II., p. 899. It appears also from 
Bochart that the ibex was domesticated for amusement, as a lovely 
creature which they delighted to adorn with chains, garlands, ifcc. 
Roberts, ad loc, says, " The hind is celebrated for affection to her 
mate ; hence, in the East, a man, in speaking of his wife, often 
calls her by that name." Comp. Cant. ii. 9, &c. 

21. — the eyes, &c. The most secret sins, such as that con- 
demned in this chapter, are known to God, as well as the most 
public transgressions. 

15* 



174 NOTES. 

22. — catch — cords, &c. The image is borrowed from the 
condition of a wild beast, or bird, caught in the nets of the hunter. 
The inevitable miseries, or punishment, of transgression are set 
forth. It brings a man into captivity to misery. 

23. — he shall stagger. This is designed to denote the same 
event as die, in the parallel line ; and the accessory idea of stag- 
gering or reeling into the grave seems to denote the blindness, 
folly, and infatuation of the sensualist. 

Ch, VI. 1. — stricken hands. This expression denotes the same 
thing as the expression become a surety, in the parallel line. If, 
by giving thy hand to a creditor in presence of the debtor, thou 
hast become responsible for the debt of the latter. 

2. — ensnared. Comp. ver. 5. 

3. — fallen into the hands, &c. This may denote that the 
surety has placed himself at the mercy of the debtor, w^ho, by neg- 
lect or misfortune, may expose him to the payment of the debt ; 
or at the mercy of the creditor. From what follows, the first seems 
the more probable explanation. — prostrate thyself, <fec. : i. e. 
earnestly entreat the debtor, for whom you have become bound, to 
pay the debt, and thus release you from the obligation which you 
have assumed. 

5. — as a gazelle. The comparison may refer to the anxiety 
and the efforts of the gazelle to extricate itself, or to the speed 
with which it runs away. The fieetness of the animal is proverbial 
in the countries which it inhabits. See Robinson's Calmet, art. 
Antelope. 

7. — overseer, &c. The diligence of the ant is the more re- 
markable, as it has no overseer to exact its labor. It is worth 
mentioning, that Aristotle, having spoken of cranes, bees, and ants 
as living in a political state, says that the two former lived under 
a ruler, the latter not. 

8. — in the summer her food : as a provision for winter. The 
illustration is borrowed from what was a universal notion in an- 
cient times respecting the ant. But the ant is now supposed to 
pass the winter, in cold climates, in a torpid state. 

10. A little sleep, &c. This verse is to be regarded as the ex- 
postulation of the sluggard, when called upon to leave his bed. 

11. — like a robber : i. e. swiftly, unexpectedly, irresistibly. 
Comp. ver. 15. 

12. A worthless wretch : literally, a man of Belial. An expres- 



THE PROVERBS. I75 

sion denoting mingled abhorrence and contempt, the most re- 
proachful epithet which one Hebrew could apply to another. 

13. — winks with his eyes : who intimates, by signs with the 
eyes, hands, or feet, the base designs which he is afraid or ashamed 
to express in plain words, or which he wishes to conceal from per- 
sons who are present. — Speaks with his feet, — teaches with his 
fingers. Roberts, in his Illustrations (p. 366), observes, — "When 
the Easterns are in their houses, they wear no sandals, so their feet 
and toes are exposed. When guests wish to speak with each other 
so as not to be observed by the host, they convey their meaning 
by the feet and toes. Does a person wish to leave a room with 
another, he lifts up one of his feet ; and should the other refuse, 
he also lifts up a foot, and then suddenly puts it down on the 
ground." "When merchants wish to bargain in presence of others 
without making known their terms, they sit on the ground, have 
a piece of cloth thrown over the lap, and then put each a hand 
under, and thus speak with their fingers. When the Brahmins 
convey religious mysteries to their disciples, they teach with their 
fingers, having the hands concealed in the folds of their robes." 

16. — six — seven. This mode of enumeration is found in 
other parts of the Old Testament, as also in the sententious com- 
positions of the Arabs and Persians. See Ros. ad. loc. Comp. 
XXX. 18, 29; Job v. 19; Eccles. xi. 2. 

17. Lofty eyes : i. e. pride, haughtiness. 

21. — around thy neck. See i. 9, iii. 3, and the note. 

22. — they shall guide : i. e. the commandment and the pre- 
cepts, ver. 20. 

23. — to life : i. e. to true, solid, lasting happiness ; so misery 
is expressed by the term death. 

25. — catch thee, &c. : i. e. suffer not thyself to be caught in 
the nets of her wanton eyes. Perhaps the eyelids in particular are 
mentioned, because it was the custom in the East to paint them. 
See note on Jer. iv. 30. 

26. — precious life: i. e. shortens life by starvation, in reference 
to the parallel line; or by the jealousy of the husband (see 33-35), 
or in some other way. 

30. — overlook : i. e. do not let him go unpunished, though he 
may plead an excuse, which the adulterer cannot. The thief had 
no food, and stole some ; the adulterer had a wife, or might have 
had, and yet went in to his neighbour's wife. 

35. — content : to remit the penalty of death. See Lev. xx. 10. 



176 NOTES. 

Ch. VII. 3. — upon thy fingers : like a ring, which is not out 
of sight, and which is kept with the utmost care. 

4. Say to icisdom, &c. : Be as well acquainted, as familiar, with 
wisdom as with a beloved sister. Comp. Job xvii. 14. 

8. — her corner. The expression here probably denotes the 
house of the harlot, as is suggested by the parallel line ; and not 
merely her temporary station, as in ver. 12. 

11. — ungovernable. The term is applied in Hosea, iv. 16, to 
an untamed heifer. 

14. — have been upon me : i. e. a vow to pay them has been 
upon me. These thank-offerings, or peace-offerings, consisted of 
oxen, sheep, or goats, which were offered in acknowledgment of 
some blessings received. Considerable portions of these victims 
used to be returned by the priests to those who offered them, and 
afforded materials for a feast, to which they used to invite their 
neighbours and friends, 

22. — as one in fetters to the chastisement of the fool. " One in 
fetters " corresponds to the ox in the parallel line, and denotes the 
unresisting spirit and the forgetful ness, or disregard of consequences, 
with which the young man follows the allurements of forbidden 
pleasure. There can be no doubt of the incorrectness of the com- 
mon version of this line. It is as inconsistent with the Hebrew 
idiom and construction as it is inappropriate to the connection. 
For a defence of the version which I have adopted, I refer to 
Buxtorf's Lexicon, or Gesenius's Thesaurus, on the term D3V.» 
Dr. Thomas Hunt, in his Observations on Proverbs, adopting an 
ingenious conjectural reading, namely, S'*''^^ for S^IX, translates 
the line, as the hart bounds into the toils. It makes a good sense ; 
and, were the conjectural reading the only difficulty in the way, 
I should be inclined to adopt it, with Rosenmaller and others. 
But there is no Hebrew usage according to which ^0^12 can mean 
toils^ or DDJ^,, bounds. To express the meaning o£ toils, or bounds^ 
different Hebrew terms would have been used. It seems to me, 
therefore, that the ingenious translation of Dr. Hunt must be re- 
jected, as not authorized by the original. 

Ch. VIII. 1. — wisdom. It is difficult to conceive that any one 
who attends to what is said of wisdom in the book of Proverbs, 
and compares this chapter with ch. i. 20, ifec, iii. 13, 20, and ix. 
1-6, should fail to perceive that the author personifies the at- 
tribute of wisdom ; that he represents wisdom as a female and a 



THE PROVERBS. 177 

queen, dispensing her rewards to those who gain her acquaintance, 
and the assistant of the Almighty in the creation of the world. 
Respecting the theory, that the author describes a real person, the 
Messiah, or Jesus Christ, it is sufficient to say, that there is no proof 
of it, either in this book or in any part of the Old or New Testament ; 
and of course it devolves upon those who maintain that any thing 
more than the attribute of wisdom is described to prove it. For 
what the author professes to describe is wisdom. Comp. Job 
xxviii. 25 — 28. Adam Clarke remarks, on this verse: — ''Here 
wisdom is again personified ; but the prosopopoeia is carried on to 
a greater length than before, and with much more variety. It is 
represented in this chapter in a twofold point of view: — 1. Wis- 
dom, the power of judging rightly, implying the knowledge of di- 
vine and human things. 2. As an attribute of God, particularly dis- 
played in the various and astonishing works of creation. Nor has 
it any other meaning in this whole chapter, whatever some of the 
fathers may have dreamed, who find allegorical meanings every- 
where." 

2. — top of the high places : where heralds often made their 
proclamations. Comp. Luke xii. 3. 

9. — direct : easy to be understood by those who love knowl- 
edge, in opposition to crooked., in ver. 8. 

12. — dicell with prudence : i. e. between wisdom and prudence 
there is an intimate union Those who have wisdom will have 
sound discretion in the conduct of life. 

13. In connection with the discourse in praise of wisdom, this 
verse seems to mean, that with true wisdom is connected that fear 
of God which leads to holiness of life ; in other words, that the 
wise man will manifest his religion in his life. Comp. 1 John 
iv. 20. 

14. Counsel : The capacity of managing difficult affairs, and 
bringing them to a successful issue. — / have strength. So 
Eccles. vii. 19, " Wisdom strengthens the wise more than ten 
mighty men," &c. 

15. — kings reign : i. e. the thrones of kings can be securely 
established, and the regal duties successfully discharged, only upoa 
the principles of true wisdom. 

17. / love them, &c. : The lovers and seekers of wisdom shall 
attain it, and the blessings which it confers. 

18. — are with me : i. e. in order to be bestowed upon those 
who seek and find me. Comp. iii. 16. 



178 NOTES. 

22. — formed me, &c. Formed^ or created^ is the primary mean- 
ing of the verb njp. See Gesenius's Thesaurus. It is so trans- 
lated by the Sept., Chaldee, and old Syriac version. Thus, also, 
in Gen. xiv. 19, "The most high God, who made heaven and 
earth," the same word is used. So, also, in Deut. xxxii. 6, "Is he 
not thy father, that created thee.?" So, Ps. cxxxix. 13, "Thou 
hast created my reins." The meaning created^ or formed^ seems 
also to be confirmed by Ver. 25, " Before the hills, / was brought 
forthy See, also, the Son of Sirach, ch. xxiv, 9. At the time 
when wisdom^ in this passage, was regarded as a real person, and not 
a mere rhetorical personification of an attribute, there was a contro- 
versy between the Arians and Athanasians, whether the term in ques- 
tion should be rendered created or possessed. Some of the latter con- 
tended that %xTLOB was a corrupt reading of the Sept. for Ixi^'ioaro^ 
and some that the passage related to the human nature of Christ. 
Since the true view has prevailed, that wisdom is only personi- 
fied, the rendering created^ or formed^ has been regarded as more 
agreeable to the connection. — the first of his creation : i. e. 
the first production of his operating, creative energy ; i. e. when 
Jehovah went forth^ or proceeded^ to create the world, when he 
commenced his way, course, or process, of creation, I was his first 
production. He raised me up to be his assistant in producing a 
well ordered world out of chaos. In Job, xxvi. 14, xl. 19, the 
term T^'l^ way, in the plural, denotes the works of God. The term 
first has reference to time chiefly, but has connected with it the idea 
of superiority or excellence. It is the same term which is used in 
Gen. xlix. 3, " Reuben, thou art my first-born, the firstling of my 
strength." It is also the term which is applied to the first fruits 
offered in the temple ; Lev. ii. 12, xxiii. 10 ; Deut. xviii. 4, 
xxvi. 10. The term is also used to denote the chief of its kind, 
dropping the idea of priority in time. Thus, the river-horse is 
called the chief of the works (literally, ways) of God. As to the 
plain, literal meaning of the verse, and of the following passage, it 
is simply that wisdom was exercised, or put forth, as the antecedent 
condition of the production of the world, or that the world was 
made by the wisdom of God, as in Jer. li. 15, " He established the 
world by his wisdom, and by his understanding he spread out the 
heavens." So Prov. iii. 19; Ps. civ. 24; Job xxviii. 25-28. 
God's putting forth of wisdom being regarded as antecedent in 
time to the actual creation of the visible world, the author, who 
had previously represented wisdom as having length of days in her 



THE PROVERBS. 179 

right hand, and in her left hand riches and honor, here, by a bold 
figure, personifies wisdom as being formed to be the assistant, 
counsellor, and, as it were, architect of the Deity, in the formation 
of the world out of chaos. This bold personification is perfectly 
agreeable to the genius of the Hebrew poets, who represent Zion 
as "stretching out her hands, having none to comfort her," and the 
inanimate ways which lead to the temple, as " mourning because 
none came to the solemn feasts," and the trees of the field as 
" clapping their hands," in token of joy when the ransomed of 
Jehovah returned to Zion. See the note on ver. 1. The design of 
the author is to give the very highest praise of wisdom, by repre- 
senting it as not confined to common affairs, not even to the office 
of kings, and as not being of modern or human origin; but that it 
was older than the creation, and that without its aid the Almighty 
formed no part of his works. The eulogies upon law by Cicero 
and Hooker proceeded from a similar train of thought. See Cicero 
de Legibus, Lib. II., cap. 4, and Hooker's Ecclesiastical Polity, 
at the end of Book I., where we read, — " Of law there can be no 
less acknowledged, than that her seat is the bosom of God, her 
voice the harmony of the world ; all things in heaven and earth do 
her homage, the very least as feeling her care, and the greatest as 
not exempted from her power ; both angels and men, and creatures 
of what condition soever, though each in different sort and manner, 
yet all with uniform consent, admiring her as the mother of their 
peace and joy." The writer's idea of the creation of wisdom be- 
longs merely to the rhetorical personification of it. Before we can 
conceive of wisdom as waiting upon the Deity as a person, we 
must suppose her created. But the simple idea on which the 
personification was founded is, that the exercise of wisdom by God 
preceded the creation of the world, as the condition of its order and 
beauty. 

23. — anointed : Wisdom is the most ancient queen in the 
world. God himself anointed her as such, before the origin of the 
visible world. 

27. — drew a circle, &c. : i. e. by causing the apparently con- 
cave surface of the sky to form a curved boundary to the waters 
which surrounded the earth, according to the opinion of the an- 
cients. Comp. Job xxvi. 10. 

29. — - border : i. e. the shore of the sea. — foundations : The 
earth is here represented as a house or building having foundations, 
&c. 



180 NOTES. 

30. — as a master-builder : This meaning of the term tlDX. 
I regard as on the whole better supported by usage, comp. Cant, 
vii. 2, and by the scope and connection of the passage, than the 
meaning foster-child, which is preferred by some critics. The 
termination of the Hebrew term is masculine, for which an obvious 
reason may be given, if it denotes an artist or architect, and none 
if it denote a foster-child. It appears most consistent with the gen- 
eral design of the passage, or with what we must suppose to be its 
literal meaning, to understand wisdom to be represented as the 
counsellor, as it were, the architect of the Deity, in the formation 
and furnishing of the world. As to the term exult, which, accord- 
ing to a more literal translation, would be play, sport, or dance, 
which is thought to be more favorable to the rendering foster-child, 
I suppose it refers to the exultation of wisdom in the abundant, 
and, as it were, lavish, manifestation of her skill, and the ease with 
which she exercised it; perhaps it may even refer to the pleasure 
with which the Deity is represented as looking upon the work of 
each day of creation. " And God saw that it was good." In the 
book of Job, to denote the terrible nature of the crocodile, it is 
said, — "In his neck dwells strength, and terror dances before 
him." The rendering master-builder, or architect, is favored by 
the Sept. and Vulg., uquolovou ; cuncta componens. Luther, also, 
renders the term werk-meister, master-workman. 

31. Exulting, &c. This verse is well paraphrased by Patrick. 
" More particularly I displayed my skill in the vast variety of 
creatures wherewith I have beautified this earth wherein you 
dwell, which afford a most delightful spectacle unto me, and unto 
all wise observers ; who may see that above all the rest my prin- 
cipal thoughts were fixed upon the children of men. Gen. i. 26, 
in whom I delighted exceedingly, beholding them made in the 
image of God and after his likeness, capable to converse with me." 

34. — watches at my gates day by day : I suppose the language 
to be borrowed from the practice of those persons in the East who 
waited at the doors of rulers, or persons of eminence, in order to 
be admitted to their presence, or to speak to them, as they came 
out, and thus gain the favors which they had in view. Others 
suppose the language to be borrowed from the case of a lover, 
waiting at the door of his mistress, or of scholars at the door of a 
school. 

35. — finds life : i. e. the greatest blessing, true happiness. 

36. — love death : i. e. behave as though they courted their 
own destruction. 



THE PROVERBS. 181 

Ch. IX. 1. — builded her house. By a personification some- 
what different from the preceding, wisdom is represented as a 
queen, having built a splendid palace, and prepared a rich feast, 
to which she invites the sons of men, who will receive no less 
life, vigor, strength, and joy, from her instructions, than the 
body does, when it partakes of a liberal and most delicious feast. 
— seven pillars. Seven was regarded as the full, perfect, and sa- 
cred number, not only by the Hebrews, but by the Arabians and 
Persians. 

2. — mixed her wine : i. e. either with spices, to make it strong 
and well flavored, as in ch. xxiii. 30, or with water, to make it 
more refreshing and wholesome. 

3. — maidens. Wisdom being represented as a female, of course 
her attendants are maidens. — She cries aloud : i. e. by means of 
her messengers. 

7. — shame; — a stain: i. e. by being the object of the scofl?*er's 
reproaches and maledictions. It is the part of an enlightened con- 
science and a sound judgment to decide when admonition may be 
offered with the prospect of doing good. Comp. Matt. vii. 6. 

12. — bear it : i. e. the consequences or punishment of thy 
scoffing. 

13. The foolish woman. This may be intended as a personifi-^ 
cation of folly, so as to form a contrast with the preceding personi- 
fication of wisdom. But as the term woman is expressly mentioned,^ 
and as the description, especially in ver. 17, 18, compared with 
ch. ii. 18, V. 5, is that of a harlot, and as in this book the transition 
is frequent from discoursing of wisdom to warning against harlots^ 
see ch. ii. 16, v. 3, vii. 5, it is more probable that a literal harlot, 
rather than a personification of folly as a harlot, may be here in- 
tended. 

17. — bread, &c. Comp. ch. xxx. 20. 

18. — the dead are there : i. e. the shades, or ghosts. See 
ch. ii. 18, and the note. The foolish man does not consider that 
by entering the house of the harlot he joins himself to the company 
of the shades in the under- world ; i. e. he brings destruction upon 
himself 

Ch. X. 1. The Proverbs, &c. With this chapter begins the 
collection of proverbs properly so called, i. e. aphorisms follow- 
ing each other without connection. Hence the new title ; the 
preceding part being regarded as an introduction to the proper 

16 



182 NOTES. 

proverbs. Perhaps, too, they may have once existed in a separate 
collection. 

2. Treasures of wickedness : wealth gained by unjust means. 
Ill got, ill spent. — righteousness delivers^ &c. Some, without 
necessity, understand this term as referring particularly to benefi- 
cence, as it sometimes does. 

3. — craving : i. e. the avaricious desires of those who make 
haste to be rich, even by unjust means. 

5. — gathers : i. e. the fruits of the earth. — son causing 
shame : i. e. one who disgraces himself and his family by his folly, 
and the poverty and misery which are the consequences of it. 

6. — cover the mouth, &c. The wicked man's violence may 
be said, in its consequences or punishment, to cover his mouth, 
instead of himself or his head, either because his mouth is the 
instrument of his deception and fraud, or because he will be 
struck dumb by the woes and disgrace which are brought upon 
him, so that he can say nothing for himself. To cover the mouth 
is also mentioned as a sign of mourning. Ezek. xxiv. 17. 

7. — rot : and of course be offensive and loathsome. 

8. — the foolish talker : i. e. who is so full of his own talk as 
not to listen to the advice of the wise. — falls headlong : i. e. 
involves himself in danger and trouble. 

9. — perverts his ways: i. e. turns aside from the right way 
into crooked by-paths ; i. e. practises deceit and fraud. 

10. — winks with the eye, &c. : i. e. the silent language of 
knavery is as pernicious or more so, than the undisguised perpe- 
tration of it. See ch. vi. 13, and the note. 

11. — fountain of life: i. e. utters what is useful and whole- 
some to himself and others, whilst the mouth of the wicked utters 
violence or injustice, which at last falls upon himself, and causes 
him to mourn. See ver. 6, and the note, 

12. — covers all offences : i. e. overlooks, puts them out of sight, 
or forgives them. 

13. The drift of this proverb seems to be, that the wise man 
is prudent in his words, and receives no blows, whilst the 
foolish man by imprudent speeches provokes and receives chastise- 
ment. 

14. — treasure up : i. e. do not let out every thing without 
regard to time or place, but reserve it for a fit opportunity, while 
the fool seldom opens his mouth but it proves a swift mischief to 
himself 



THE PROVERBS. 183 

15. — strong city : i. e. he places confidence in it. — is dis- 
may^ &c. : i. e. takes away their spirit and courage. 

16. — to life: i. e. to true happiness. The meaning ruin, in 
the parallel line, may be derived from the primary meaning of 
nxtsn, or it may be used as the consequence or punishment of sin, 
by a common idiom. 

18. — hides hatred: i. e. by friendly deportment to the object of 
hatred. Disguised hatred and open slander are both condemned. 

21. — feed many : i. e. strengthen and nourish them for the 
enjoyment of true happiness by their discourses. 

23. — has wisdom : i. e. which keeps him from mischief, and 
makes him rather find happiness in doing well. 

24. The fear of the wicked : i. e. That which he fears. 

25. — whirlwind : " Though the wicked, like a whirlwind, 
may bluster terribly, and overthrow all that stands in his way, yet 
he quickly vanishes, and destroys himself by his own violence." 
Patrick. — everlasting foundation : i. e. he is safe ; his happiness 
is secure. 

26. — sluggard : A dilatory, faithless agent or messenger causes 
the utmost vexation, by keeping his employers in suspense and 
anxiety. 

30. — the land. See ch. ii. 21, 22, and the note. 

31. — yields wisdom: i. e. abundantly and constantly; there- 
fore he shall not be cut down, but be cherished and prosper; while 
he that uses his tongue perversely shall be cut down like a tree 
that cumbers the ground. 

Ch. XI. 2. — humble is wisdom. If we interpret this in con- 
nection with the parallel line, the idea is, that the humble man is 
wise, inasmuch as he escapes the pain and shame which often fol- 
low pride. 

4. — the day of wrath : i. e. the time when God brings judg- 
ments or punishment upon men for their sins. 

7. — the expectation, &c. : i. e. death utterly destroys all his 
plans and projects; whatever he expected to accomplish. 

11. — blessing of the upright : their words, their wise coun- 
sels and admonitions, which operate as a blessing. 

12. — despises his neighbour, &c. " It is a great weakness to 
speak contemptuously of any man, or to render him ridiculous (for 
no man is so mean but he is sensible of despisal, and may find 
ways to show his resentment) ; therefore a thoroughly prudent per- 



184 NOTES. 

son, whatsoever he thinks of others, says nothing to their re- 
proach." Patrick. 

16. Beauty and gracefulness of manners are to women what 
strength and valor are to men. 

17. — good to himself : i. e. by the satisfaction which he en- 
joys, and by the favor which he wins. — his own flesh : i. e. 
himself. Some critics, as Rosenmtiller and Umbreit, render this 
verse as follows : — 

" He that does good to himself is a merciful man ; 
But he that troubles his own flesh is cruel "; 

i. e. He that enjoys the bounties of providence freely is likely to 
be generous to others ; while he who denies himself the common 
enjoyments and even necessaries of life is likely to be cruel to 
others. Comp. Sirach xiv. 5, 6. On the ground of grammatical 
construction, either rendering is allowable. 

18. — deceitful wages: i. e. which disappoint his expectations, 
or even bring pain instead of pleasure. 

" Ye plough wickedness, ye shall reap wretchedness ; 
Ye shall eat unlooked-for fruit." Hos. x. 13. 

21. Through all generations : literally. Hand to hand. That I 
have given the true meaning is probable from the parallel line, and 
from the circumstance, that a similar phraseology is in use among 
the Persians, as has been shown by Schultens ad loc. See, also, 
Gesen. Thesaurus on i\ 

22. — jewel of gold. The Hebrew ladies wore rings suspended 
from the nostril by a hole bored through it ; a custom which still 
prevails in the East. Is. iii. 21, Ezek. xvi. 12. Paul Lucas, as 
quoted by Bishop Lowth, speaking of a village a little this side of 
the Euphrates, says, "They have almost all of them the nose bored, 
and wear in it a great ring." — without discretion. Probably a 
dissolute woman is intended. " She may have the ornament, her 
mien may be graceful and her person attractive ; but without the 
matchless jewel of virtue, she is like the swine, with a gem in his 
nose, wallowing in the mire. ' The most beautiful ornament of a 
woman is virtue.' Tamul proverb." Roberts. 

23. — desire of the righteous.^ &.c. : i. e. the desires and expec- 
tations of the righteous shall not be disappointed, but shall termi- 
nate in good, while the expectation of the wicked shall end in their 
punishment or ruin, Comp. Job xi. 20. 



THE PROVERBS. 185 

26. — keeps hack : i.e. in order to obtain an exorbitant price 
for it in a time of scarcity. — sells it : i. e. at a reasonable price, 
without taking adv^antage of the necessities of the people. 

27. — seeks favor : i.e. by seeking to do good, he shall obtain 
favor. — seeks mischief : i. e. to do mischief. 

28. — shall fall : as a withered leaf — as a leaf: i. e. a ver- 
dant leaf, receiving its proper nourishment from the tree. 

29. — harasses his household, &c. : i. e. by exacting of them ex- 
cessive labor, refusing them proper food, and treating them with 
unkindness and severity, thus alienating their affections, and ren- 
dering them careless of his interest. — inherit wind : i. e. find 
nothing but disappointment and vanity. 

30. The fruit, &c. : i. e. the benefit which men receive 
from a righteous man, &c. — winneth souls : i. e. the wise man 
captivates others by his wisdom, and leads them to imitate him. 

31. Behold, the righteous, &c. : i. e. they are punished for those 
occasional offences which through infirmity they commit ; much 
more shall the habitually wicked he punished for the sins which 
they commit, not through infirmity, but with a high hand. 

Ch. XII. 1. — loves correction : he who is not only willing to 
receive instruction, but even admonition and rebuke, shows that he 
is a true lover of knowledge, by accepting the terms, however un- 
welcome, by which alone it can be obtained. 

3. — root of the righteous, &c. : i.e. " But the righteous, like 
a tree that hath taken a deep root in the earth, though shaken by 
storms and tempests, shall remain unmovable in a flourishing 
state." Patrick. 

4. — good wife, &,c. See ch. xxxi. 10-31. "A wife that 
strenuously employs herself in her domestic affairs, and can pru- 
dently command her own passions and desires, is a singiilar orna- 
ment and honor to her husband, who may well glory in his hap- 
piness ; but she, whose laziness, or lasciviousness, or other infa- 
mous quality, make him hang down his head for shame, is an 
incurable grief and vexation, consuming him and all that he hath." 
Patrick. 

6. The words of the wicked, &c. This sentiment may have par- 
ticular reference here to high dignitaries, attendants at the courts 
of princes, &c. 

7. — house of the righteous, &c. : i. e. his family shall be estab^ 
lished in durable succession. 

16* 



186 NOTES. 

9. — demeans himself^ &c. : i. e. He is far happier who makes 
no show in the world, but has a competent estate, so as to be able 
to maintain a servant, than he who appears in great splendor and 
pomp abroad, but wants bread to eat when he is at home. The 
first line may, though l6ss probably, be rendered, He that demeans 
himself, and is a servant to. himself. 

10. — desires of his beast : in regard to food, rest, &c., much 
more of his servants, dependents, &c. — tender mercies: literally, 
the bowels of the wicked ; i. e. which in others are the seat of pity, 
in him are hardened and shut up, and only stir him up to cruelty. 
Instead of that mercy which is natural to other men, he has nothing 
but cruelty. Comp. 2 Cor. vi. 12. 

11. — tills, &c. : an example of any honest employment. 
— follows, &c. i. e. but he that is idle, falling into the company 
of loose and wicked persons, will find, at last, that he wants not 
only bread, but understanding. 

12. — prey of evil-doers : i. e. such prey, or unlawful gain, as is 
obtained by evil-doers. — - yields fruit : both for his own use, and 
that of others. 

13. In the transgression of the lips is a dangerous snare : i. e. 
He who seeks to injure another by false and malicious speeches 
will be sure to bring himself into difficulty and trouble by such a 
course; while the man of truth and sincerity escapes such evils. 

14. By the fruit, &c. : i. e. He that employs his mouth with 
rectitude and benevolence shall be satisfied with the fruit or 
happy consequences of such a course, and for whatever good a 
man effects with his hands he shall receive an ample reward. 

15. — own eyes : i. e. A fool is so conceited, that he consults 
nobody but himself; for, whatever he does, in his own opinion he 
is always in the right ; but a wise man will not rely upon his own 
iudgment alone, but, suspecting himself, will make use of the sound 
advice of other men. 

16. instantly known : i. e. he cannot defer showing his re- 
sentments ; like a brute, he immediately manifests it by his looks, 
words, and actions. — hides insult: i. e. overlooks it, bears it 
with patience, as beneath his resentment ; or, as some suppose, 
seems to take no notice of it at the time, because he designs after- 
wards to revenge it. 

17. He that speaks truth, Si.c, i. e. He who is accustomed to 
speak truth in common conversation may be depended upon as a 
witness in court. 



THE PROVERBS. 187 

18. — speaks rashly^ &c. This remark seems to refer to that 
sort of persons who deeply wound the feelings of others by thought- 
less, unguarded remarks, without respect to persons, times, and 
places. — is health : i. e. tends to promote mental peace and 
happiness. 

19. The lip of truth, &c. This verse probably denotes not 
merely that falsehood is speedily detected, whilst the truth is estab- 
lished, but rather that the speaker of truth shall be established in 
peace and happiness, while the liar shall be brought to ruin. See 
ch. X. 31. 

20. Deceit, &c. It has been inferred from the antithetic line in 
this verse, that by deceit is intended self-deception or disappoint- 
ment. But, as the term is connected with the adjunct in the heart, 
I think it better to understand it in the most obvious sense, of 
deceit practised towards others, which will not terminate in the 
joy which is promised, in the next line, to those who counsel 
peace, but rather in vexation of spirit. 

23. — conceals his knowledge : i. e. is not ostentatious of it, 
displays it only at a proper season, is modest; but a fool publishes 
his ignorance, as if he were ambitious that every one should know 
how great a fool he is. 

26. TTie righteous becomes superior, &c. : i. e. though his station 
in life may be inferior, he is more successful, does not fail of his 
ends, is not led astray, as is the case with the bad man, as de- 
scribed in the parallel line. Gesenius, who is followed by several 
critics, translates the line. The righteous shows his neighbour the 
way. I prefer the old translation, which is that of the Chaldee 
paraphrast, and is supported by Buxtorf, Michaelis, and Rosenmtil- 
ler, to so uncertain and even forced a meaning of the term '^r\\ 
See Gesen. on l-iri. 

27. — takes not, &c. : i. e. makes not effort enough to secure 
that which is almost within his power; is not active enough to 
be successful in any pursuit. Otherwise, takes not his venison : 
i. e. gets not enough to maintain himself from day to day. 

28. — life; — death. It is evident that these terms are used 
metaphorically to denote true happiness, and ruin or misery. 

Ch. XIII. 2. — fruit of a man's mouth, &c. He that makes a 
good use of his mouth In speaking of others, giving good advice, 
or making wise observations, will reap the benefit of it himself. 



188 NOTES. 

— appetite^ &c. : i. e. the wicked shall suffer the violence which 
they meditated against others. 

3. — o^tens wide : i. e. speaks rashly and inconsiderately ; lets 
out every thing which comes into his head. 

5. — is loathsome : i. e. by uttering falsehoods. 

7. — has nothing, &c. " You will be deceived, if you judge 
of men by the outward appearance j for there are those who have 
the vanity to make a great show in the world, when they are not 
worth a farthing; and others who are so cunning as to dissemble 
their vast estates under the garb of poverty." Patrick. Under 
the despotic governments of the East, where property is insecure, 
there exist many motives for the concealment of it. Comp. 
ch. xii. 9. 

8. — the ransom of his life. This line may be understood in 
different senses, as denoting either the inconvenience, or the value, 
of wealth. According to the first, the meaning will be, that wealth 
has not so great an advantage over poverty as is sometimes thought, 
since it sometimes exposes its possessor, by means of false ac- 
cusers, or thieves, or tyrants, to the peril of his life, which he is 
obliged to redeem by the sacrifice of his riches, while no one thinks 
it worth while to bring accusations against the poor. Or, the 
line may point out the value of wealth, namely, that it enables its 
possessor to preserve his life when in imminent danger. The 
parallelism seems to favor the first meaning. 

9. — shall rejoice : i. e. shine with a bright, cheerful light, like 
that of the sun, as described in Ps. xix. 5 ; i. e. their prosperity 
shall be great and lasting. 

10. By pride, &c. " They that have a high conceit of them- 
selves, and will yield to none, declare their folly, in that they 
can do nothing without strife and contention." Patrick. 

11. Wealth dwindles away, &c. : i. e. if no care be taken to 
preserve it, nor industry used in adding to it. The produce of the 
soil seems to be specially had in view. — gathers, &c. i. e. is 
jiimself active in gathering his corn into storehouses, and preserving 
it there. 

12. — tree of life. See ch. iii. 18, and the note. 

13. — the word : i. e. of God. But it is uncertain whether it 
refers to the written word, or to the admonition of the authorized 
ministers of God. 

15. A good understanding : i. e. manifesting itself in inoffensive 
words and virtuous actions. — is hard : i. e. instead of winning 



THE PROVERBS. 189 

favor, it provokes the enmity and opposition of men, and thus leads 
to vexation and misery. 

16. — acts with knoicledge : i. e. w^ith due deliberation, under- 
taking only what he understands. — spreads abroad his folly : 
i. e. by rashly and inconsiderately undertaking things beyond his 
strength, which of course do not succeed. 

17. — into trouble : i. e. receives punishment for his perfidy or 
negligence. — is healthy i. e. by accomplishing the objects of his 
mission, procures safety and benefit both for himself and him that 
sent him. 

19. — an abomination^ &c. : i. e. this is the case, although the 
sure consequence of continuing in their wicked course is disappoint- 
ment and failure. 

22. — for the just : i. e. in the course of Providence is trans- 
ferred from the families of the wicked to those of the good. 

23. '. — land of the poor. A poor man often grows rich by hon- 
est labor in tillage or other employments, and there are those who, 
despising labor, lose large estates by dishonest attempts to increase 
them. 

Ch. XIV. 1. — wise woman., &c. " By a prudent wife, one 
pious, industrious, and considerate, the affairs of the family are 
made to prosper, debts are paid, portions raised, the children well 
educated and maintained, and the family has comfort within doors 
and credit without. Thus is the house built. She looks upon 
it as her own to take care of, though she knows it is her hus- 
band's to bear rule in; Esth. i. 22; while a foolish woman, the 
reverse of her that has been described, will as certainly be the 
ruin of her house, as if she plucked it down with her own 
hands." Henry. 

2. — in uprightness., &c. " By this we may know a man that 
has grace and the fear of God reigning in him ; he walks in his 
uprightness ; he makes conscience of his actions, is faithful both 
to God and man, and every stop he makes, as well as every step 
he makes, is by rule ; here is one that honors God. But, on the 
contrary, he that is perverse in his ways., that wilfully follows his 
own appetites and passions, that is unjust and dishonest, and con- 
tradicts his profession in his conversation, however he may pretend 
to devotion, he is a wicked man, and vvill be reckoned with as a 
despiser of God himself." Henry. 

3. — a scourge of his pride. " A fool is so insolent, that he 



190 NOTES. 

boldly calumniates and wounds the reputation of others, though it 
come home at last with a terrible back-blow upon himself; but 
wise men are careful of their words not to offend, much less abuse, 
the meanest person ; and thereby they remain in safety." Patrick. 

4. — no oxen : i. e. employed in agriculture by the husbandman. 
— the fodder-loft is clean. This is a satirical way of saying that the 
barn is destitute of fodder ; there is a scarcity of provision. So 
cleanness of teeth denotes a scarcity in Amos iv. 6. " This shows 
the folly of those who addict themselves to the pleasures of the 
country, but do not mind the business of it; who, as we say, keep 
more horses than kine, more dogs than swine ; their families must 
needs suffer by it." 

5. ^ faithful witness, &c. " A person of integrity will not be 
prevailed withal, either for fear or favor, to justify the least untruth ; 
but a man of no conscience, who hath accustomed himself to lying, 
cares not how many falsehoods he testifies ; which he utters with- 
out any difficulty." Patrick. 

6. — scoffer — man of understanding. By scoffer seems to 
be denoted a frivolous, superficial, irreverent inquirer, one inclined 
to turn serious things into ridicule ; and by man of understanding, 
a man who has correct feelings as well as a sound mind. In order 
to arrive at truth, we must seek it with right views, dispositions, 
and feelings. 

8. — his way, &c. " The greatest cunning and subtlety that 
a truly wise and good man studies is to understand what he ought 
to do, and what to avoid, upon all occasions ; but all the skill of 
wicked men, such is their folly, lies in cheating tricks, and in 
devising arts of circumvention and deceit." Patrick. 

9. — make a mock, &c. Bad men make no account of injuring 
their neighbours, and therefore incur general hatred ; while upright 
men, by being careful not to do wrong to any one, obtain general 
favor. This proverb, like many others, is somewhat enigmatical. 
The evil consequence of the course of conduct mentioned in the 
first line being implied in what is said of an opposite course of 
conduct in the parallel line. 

10. The heart, &c. Every one has griefs and joys, the causes 
of which he cannot make known so as to secure the complete sym- 
pathy of others. Men should be slow, therefore, in passing censure 
upon their neighbours on account of their feelings of grief or joy. 

12. — a way, &c. " Examine every thing strictly and impar- 
tially, and be not led merely by the appetite; for that makes many 



THE PROVERBS. 191 

actions seem innocent, which, in the issue, prove deadly destruc- 
tive." Patrick. 

13. Even in laughter^ &c. This proverb may denote that men 
sometimes put on the appearance of joy, vs^hile their hearts are 
full of pain, which still recurs after all the efforts to disguise it. 
Or, the meaning may be, that immoderate joy leaves the heart sad, 
and that sorrow treads so close upon the heels of joy, that it may 
be said to follow it immediately. 

14. — with his own ways : i. e. with the fruit, or evil conse- 
quences, of his course of life. — from himself: i. e. from his 
works ; from his temper of mind, course of life, and the natural 
consequences of it. 

15. — to his steps : i. e. proceeds cautiously, examining before 
he trusts, and considering well before he does as he is advised. 

16. — fears : i. e. the consequences of transgression, especially 
when he is reminded of them by a friend. — is haughty : when 
he is warned, &c. 

18. — inherit folly : i.e. they retain it as their inheritance or 
portion ; that in which they delight. 

19. — bow before the good: i, e. however prosperous and in- 
solent for a time, they are often reduced to the necessity of seeking 
the favor of the good in a humble manner. — at the gates : i. e. 
as suppliants. 

23. — labor, &c. Working without talking will make men 
rich ; but talking without working will make men poor. 

24. — is folly : i. e. their high honor or station is only a source 
of folly, or the means of making it more conspicuous. 

25. — lives : i. e. which are endangered by false accusation. 
— lies : although they thereby endanger the lives of the innocent. 

26. confidence : ground of confidence, security, parallel with 
refuge. — his children : i. e. the children of him who fears God ; 
the antecedent to his being implied in the expression, The fear 
of Jehovah. Comp. ch. xix. 23. 

28. — numerous people, &c. : the true glory of a king consists 
not in his personal splendor, his palaces, treasures, pomp, &c., but 
in a numerous people ; which he cannot have without good gov- 
ernment. 

30. A quiet heart, &c. "There is nothing conduces more to 
health and happiness than a quiet, gentle, and contented mind ; 
but envy, and such like fretful passions, is as miserable a torment 
and consuming disease as rottenness in the bones." 



192 NOTES. 

31. — reproaches his Maker : because he is alike the Creator of 
the rich and the poor. Comp. Job xxxi. 15, Prov. xxii. 2. 

32. is thrust down: i. e. is ruined, perishes. Or the phrase 
may figuratively denote the state of the sinner's mind, when he 
falls into trouble; that he is utterly cast down, or reduced to de- 
spair ; while the righteous, in the deepest trouble, even in death, 
has hope in God. 

33. Wisdom rests, &c. " He that is truly wise hides his treas- 
ure, so as not to boast of it, though he does not hide his talent, 
so as not to trade with it. -— If fools have a little smattering of 
knowledge-, they take all occasions, though very foreign, to bring 
it in by head and shoulders." Henry. 

34. — is sin : i. e. caused by sin. 

35. causes shame : i. e. who by ill management brings reproach 
upon his prince. 

Ch. XV. 2. — knowledge pleasing : by taking due care, when, 
and what, and to whom, and how, he speaks. — pours forth : 
i. e. inconsiderately and at random utters thoughts which amount 
only to folly. 

4. — tree of life. See the note on ch. iii. 18. — wound in the 
spirit : i. e. breaks the heart, as we say. 

6. — much wealth. "A truly just and merciful man is very rich, 
whether he has little or much, because he is well contented, and 
what he has is likely to continue in his family; but there is much 
disquiet and trouble in the greatest revenues of the wicked, which 
can neither stay long with him, nor give him satisfaction while he 
enjoys them." 

7. — what is not sound : i. e. spreads abroad or scatters what 
is vain, futile, or foolish. The expression ?D 5^S seems to have 
this meaning in S Kings xvii. 9, Is. xvi. 6, Jer. xxiii. 10. 

8. The sacrifice of the icicked. " Even vyicked men bring God 
sacrifices, to stop the mouth of conscience, and to keep up their 
reputation in the world, as malefactors come to a sanctuary, not 
because it is a holy place, but because it shelters them from justice; 
but their sacrifices are not offered in sincerity, nor from a good 
principle ; they dissemble with God, and in their conversations 
give the lie to their devotions, and for that reason they are an 
abomination to him, because they are made a cloak for sin." But 
" God has such a love for upright, good people, that, though they 
are not at the expense of a sacrifice, -theii: prayer is a delight to 



THE PROVERBS. 193 

him." The verse is a caution against resting in mere ceremonial 
worship without moral virtue. Comp. Ps. 1. 

10. — forsakes the icay : i. e. the way of rectitude ; the way 
prescribed by God. 

12. — to the icise : lest he should receive rebuke. 

13. — spirit is broken : which will be manifested in a wobe- 
gone countenance, as is implied by the parallel line. 

14. — feeds upon folly : vain and foolish things are meat and 
drink to them. 

15. — afflicted: i. e. in spirit. A melancholy spirit renders 
the brightest day dark. The mind gives to outward objects their 
color and complexion. 

19. — the slothful^ &c. *' A slothful man, when he has any 
thing to do, feigns to himself most grievous difficulties, which he 
fancies or pretends are impossible to be overcome ; but those very 
things seem easy to the industry of honest-hearted men, who go on 
smoothly in their business, and conquer all impediments." Patrick. 

20. — despises his mother : and thus makes her sad, as is im- 
plied by its connection with the preceding line. 

21. Folly is joy^ &c. : i.e. It is his delight to do foolish and 
wicked actions. — walks uprightly : and finds his joy in it, as is 
implied by the parallelism. 

23. — hy the answer of his mouth : i. e. by giving good advice, 
when asked. 

24. — leads upward^ &c. The wise pursue a path insuring to 
themselves a continuance of life and happiness, which, being 
directly opposed to the path leading down to the grave, is said 
" to lead upwards." 

25. — the proud. Those who imagine themselves independent 
of Providence are contrasted with those who have no other support 
but Providence. 

26. — pleasant words : which aim at the benefit, not the injury, 
of others. — are pure : and therefore acceptable to Jehovah. 

27. " He that is so greedy of money that he cares not how he 
gets it, instead of raising his family, confounds it ; but he that 
hates bribes and all unlawful ways of gain shall prosper and con- 
tinue it." Patrick. 

28. — pours out : abundantly, hastily, and without considera- 
tion of consequences. 

29. — far from the wicked : i. e. so as not to listen to their cry, 
nor to afford them aid, when they call upon him. 

17 



194 NOTES. 

31. — reproof of life : i. e. reproof which leads to a happy life, 
salutary reproof. 

33. — guides to loisdom, Comp. ch. i. 7, ix. 10. 

Ch. XVI. 1. — preparation of the heart, &c. : i. e. when man 
has thought what to utter and in what order, still, after all, it de- 
pends upon God what language shall come from his tongue. Man 
proposes, God disposes. Or, the ansioer of the tongue may denote 
the answer of God to the voice of prayer. 

3. Commit thy doings, &c. : Consider the event of every thing 
which you undertake as depending upon God's providence. 

4. — for its end: i. e. object, or purpose. Otherwise, ^or his 
purpose ; the pronominal suffix being applicable to Jehovah, or to 
every thing. According to the rendering in the text, the meaning 
will be substantially the same as that assigned to the verse by 
Grotius : — " God has ordained every thing to that which answers 
or is suited to it, and the wicked he has ordained for the day of 
evil, i. e. of punishment. There is not only a wise arrangement 
and correspondence in good things, but also in evil things, for the 
evil of punishment follows the evil of guilt ; the evil day is ap- 
pointed for the evil-doer." Some understand the last line as denoting 
that wicked men are appointed to punish others, as in Is. x. 5, 6. 
The idea which some have drawn from the passage, that God 
makes men wicked on purpose to punish them, is too metaphysical 
for the writer, and too gross for any writer. God made man up- 
right; he makes himself wicked, and is justly appointed to punish- 
ment for his wickedness. 

5. From generation to generation. See Ges. ad verb. T\ 

6. — kindness and truth : i. e. exercised by men, comp. ch. iii. 
3, XX. 28, and here used in opposition to sacrifices and ceremonies, 
by which the corrupt Jews supposed they might secure the favor 
of God. 

9. — devises his way : i. e. if a man lay his plans with never so 
much care, he cannot insure success to them. This is at the dis- 
posal of God. Comp. ver. 1, and Jer. x. 23. 

10. Jl divine sentence. The writer's aim seems to be to procure 
a religious respect for the sentence of the king, as being the minis- 
ter of God, and as placed above ordinary motives to give a wrong 
judgment. 

11. — his work : made by his direction and appointment, so 



THE PROVERBS. 195 

that no man can corrupt or alter them without violating his au- 
thority and incurring his displeasure. See the note on ch. xx. 10. 
12. — to kings : i. e. to those worthy of the name. 

14. — messengers of death. The expression may be derived 
from the custom of Oriental despotism. " When the enemies of a 
great man in Turkey have gained influence enough over the prince 
to procure a warrant for his death, a capidgy or executioner is sent 
to him, and shows him the order he has to carry back his head ; 
the other kisses it and freely gives it up." Thevenot. Comp. 
1 Kings ii. 25, Matt, xiv, 10. 

15. — light of the king's countenance : i. e. his smiling, favor- 
able countenance refreshes and invigorates. — latter rain : which 
falls in the spring, not long before the time of harvest, in Palestine, 
and refreshes the parched fields and brings to maturity the harvest. 

17. It is the highway, &c. : i. e. In departing from evil they find 
a smooth and pleasant path, 

20. — to the word : the commands of God. Comp. ch. xiii. 13, 
Ps. cxix. 105. This rendering is made probable by the parallelism. 

21. "He whose mind is well furnished with wisdom cannot but 
win a great reputation, and be highly esteemed for his prudent 
counsels and resolutions; but if he have the powerful charms of 
eloquence also, to convey his mind delightfully unto others, it will 
add a greater value to his wisdom, and make it more diffusive and 
instructive unto the world." Patrick. 

22. — their folly : which brings its punishment with it, or close 
behind it. 

23. The heart : considered as the seat of the understanding, as 
it was regarded by the Hebrews. 

24. Pleasant words, &c. Agreeable discourse is both delightful 
and salutary. 

26. — his mouth : i. e. the craving of his appetite. Comp. 
Eccles. vi. 7. 

27. — devises mischief : literally, digs mischief : a metaphor 
derived from the practice of digging pits to entrap wild animals. 
— a burning fire: which consumes the reputation of his neighbour. 
Comp. James iii. 6. 

30. — shuts his eyes, &c. : i. e. by the motions of the eyes and 
of the lips he gives signs to his associates to assist him in accom- 
plishing mischief. 

32. — the mighty : warrior, or hero. 

33. The lot, &c. " Acknowledge the divine providence in all 



196 NOTES. 

things, even in those which seem most casual ; for though men 
cast the lots into the lap of a garment, or into a hollow vessel, and 
thence draw them out again, yet it is the Lord who directs entirely 
in what order they shall come forth, and so determines the matter 
in doubt according to his pleasure." Patrick. 

Ch. XVII. 2. — rules over^ &c. : i. e. is sometimes appointed by 
the father as the guardian of unworthy children, or placed at the 
head of the concerns of the household. 

4. — listens, &c. : i. e. pays regard to bad counsel. 

5. — the poor. See the note on ch. xiv. 31. 

7. — becomes not : i. e. is not in consistency with his general 
character. — the noble : i. e. in manners, disposition, character. 
So in ver. 26. 

8. — precious stone, &c. : i. e. "A gift is so tempting, that it 
can no more be refused than a lovely jewel by him to whom it is 
presented ; and such is its power, it commonly prevails over all 
men, despatches all business, carries all causes, and, in a word, 
eifects whatsoever a man desires." Patrick. 

9. — seeks love: i. e. promotes love among friends. 
ir. — cruel messenger. See the note on xvi. 14. 

12. — a fool in his folly : an unreasonable, bad man, when his 
ungovernable passions and appetites are most excited. 

14. The beginning, &c. " One hot word, one peevish reflection, 
one angry demand, one spiteful contradiction, begets another, and 
that a third, and so on, till it proves likes the cutting of a dam ; 
when the water has got a little passage, it does itself widen the 
breach, bears down all before it, and there is then no stopping it, 
no reducing it." Henry. 

16. — It is sense, &c. The idea is, that wealth cannot obtain 
wisdom, when natural ability is wanting. 

17. — born a brother : a true friend will in adversity be felt to 
be as valuable and dear as a brother. 

18. — strikes hands. See the note on ch. vi. 1. 

19. — offence: i. e. who is disposed to give offence to others. 
By understanding J^ti^'p in an unusual and rather doubtful sense, 
we may render, He loves trouble icho loves quarrels. In this way 
the sense will be more accordant with the parallel line. — raises 
high his gate : i. e, the gate of his house : i. e. is proud and ostenta- 
tious, carries his head too high, as we say. — seeks ruin : because 



THE PROVERBS. 197 

he thus makes himself odious to God and man ; or because he 
involves himself in ruinous expenses. 

21. The fool, &c. : i. e. A son who becomes impious and 
wicked, 

23. out of the bosom : i. e. in secret, comp. ch. xxi. 14; being 

secretly conveyed from the bosom of the giver to his own. 

24. Wisdom, &c. See ch. xiv. 6. — ends of the earth : i. e. 
wander far and wide without discovering wisdom. 

26. — to fine the righteous : as was and is practised in the re- 
gions of Oriental despotism. 

27. — a cool spirit : i. e. not easily excited, not forward and 
hasty to utter whatever comes into one's head. 

Ch. XVIII. 1. — separates himself from others : i. e. affects 
singularity, despises the ways and opinions of others, or lives a life 
of seclusion. — seeks his own desire : i. e. indulges his own way- 
ward fancy, is wedded to his own opinions, obstinately attached to 
his own way. — offended, &c. : nothing is too wise and good for 
him to oppose ; whatever any one may urge against his opinions 
and plans, with never so much reason, he opposes it, and obstinately 
maintains his own prejudices. 

2. — in understanding : i. e. in acquiring sound knowledge. 
— revealing, Sz^c. : i. e. in giving utterance to all his thoughts, and 
thus exposing his folly. 

3. — comes also contempt: i. e. contempt is the companion of the 
wicked man ; he is treated with contempt. Comp. ch. xi. 2. Some 
understand the verse as pointing out the danger of bad company, 
and the reproach which a bad man brings upon those who admit 
him into their society. 

4. — man's mouth: i. e. a wise man's, as is to be understood 
from the parallelism. 

5. This proverb is directed against the venality of judges, which 
is common in the despotic countries of the East. 

6. — calls for blows : i. e. he invites blows upon himself by his 
rash and provoking speeches. 

8. — like dainties. This proverb seems to point out the danger 
of slanderous stories, inasmuch as they are swallowed with avidity 
and remembered by those to whom they are related. 

9. Idleness is as bad as wastefulness. 

13. — has heard, &c. Comp. Sirach xi. 8. 

14. — his disease : a manly spirit will sustain one under bodily 

17* 



198 NOTES. 

weakness ; but when the mind itself has lost its courage, and is cast 
down and oppressed with grief, how hopeless is the case ! 

17. — searches him through : examines into the truth of his 
allegations. One tale is good till another is told. 

18. — parts asunder the mighty: i. e. mighty combatants, or 
litigants, so that they shall no more contend, but go each to his 
own business. 

19. — hars of a castle : i. e. it is easier to break the bars of a 
castle than to remove the obstructions which lie in the way of a 
hearty reconciliation. 

20. " The tongue is so hard to govern, and so much depends 
upon it, that we ought to take as great care about the words we 
speak, as we do about the fruit of our trees, or the increase of the 
earth, which we are to eat ; for according as they are wholesome 
and good, or unsavory and bad, so will the pleasure or the pain 
be, wherewith we shall be filled." Patrick. 

21. — love it : i. e. love to talk much. 

22. — a wife : i. e. a wife indeed, a good wife. — from 
Jehovah. It is probably implied, that, in consequence of the diffi- 
culty of discerning the true character, human skill and care are of 
less avail in the acquisition of a good wife than of other blessings. 
Comp. xix. 14. 

24. — of many associates^ &c. He will be ruined in conse- 
quence of neglect of business, and of his expensive mode of living. 
Comp. xxi. 17. 

Ch. XIX. 1. — of false lips : i. e. who has acquired wealth by 
falsehood and fraud. 

3. — against Jehovah : as the cause of the evils which he has 
brought upon himself by his own folly. 

4. — is separated. This is the literal rendering. The poor 
man finds himself solitary and alone, because he is forsaken by his 
neighbour. 

7. — follows after their tvords : he calls to mind the former 
professions and promises of his friends, and reminds them of them; 
but finds that words are wind, that leaves no trace behind. 

8. — loves himself : i. e. is a truer lover of himself, or promotes 
his true interest more, than he who is bent upon mere outward 
good. 

10. Luxury, &c. Comp. ch. xxvi. 8, xxx. 22. This verse seems 
to denote that a noble mind is required in a noble condition. A 



THE PROVERBS. 199 

foolish, knavish, ill-behaving person becomes more ridiculous, the 
more splendid the style of living which he adopts. — a servant^ 
(fee, as sometimes happens under the despotisms of the East. 

12. roaring of a lion : i.e. inspiring terror. — deio upon 

the grass : i. e. refreshing and invigorating. 

13. — a continual dropping : i.e. from the eaves of a house. 
Her contentions are continually renewing themselves ; there is no 
cessation. Comp. ch. xxvii. 15. 

14. See the note on ch. xviii. 22. 

15. — deep sleep : makes a man neglect his affairs, as if he 
were asleep, so that he comes to want. 

18. — his death: i. e. his ruin, by deferring his punishment 
till it is too late. Comp. xxiii. 13, 14. 

19. — again : when you have helped him out of one danger, it 
will not be long before his violent temper will involve him in new 
trouble. 

21. — devices : Understand from the parallel line " which are 
often disappointed." 

22. — a man of deceit : i. e. one who promises favors which he 
does not mean to bestow. 

24. — the dish : i. e. he is too lazy to eat. Allusion is made 
to the manner in v/hich the Orientals help themselves to their food. 
Comp. Matt. xxvi. 23. 

25. Strike a scoffer, &c. Severe punishment may do no good 
to a derider of religion, but it tends to warn and reclaim the in- 
cautious persons whom he has injured. Reproof will be sufficient 
to correct those who are well disposed. 

26. — his father, &c. : reduces them to extreme poverty by his 
prodigality, and, as it were, turns his mother out of doors. 

27. — instruction. Beware of those who, professing to instruct 
or reprove you, would draw you away from the plain, established 
principles of virtue. 

28. — swallows down, &c. : i. e. it is agreeable and pleasant to 
them. Comp. Job xv. 16. 

Ch. XX. 1. — reels : literally, wanders : i. e. from the path. 
2. — terror of a king: i. e. the terror inspired by the wrath of 
a king. 

5. — like deep water : i. e. hard to come at. 

6. — faithful man: i. e. in connection with the parallel line, 



200 NOTES. 

one who comes up to his professions of kindness ; who will be true 
to a friend in his distress. Comp. ch. xix. 22. 

11. — will he pure^ &c. : i. e. when he becomes a man. "The 
man and child an individual make." 

12. — Jehovah made the in : and of course can himself see the 
actions of men. Comp. ch. xv. 3, Ps. xciv. 9. 

13. Open thine eyes : i. e. Awake early. 

15. — gold, &c. : i. e. the ability to discourse with true wis- 
dom is more valuable than the largest treasure of gold or jewels. 

16. — garment, <fec. : i. e. trust no one who is so inconsiderate 
and rash as to make himself responsible for a stranger, but obtain 
from him immediate security. 

17. — of falsehood : i. e. obtained by dishonest means. Figura- 
tively, all things obtained by injustice may be here denoted, which, 
though they may please a man in the beginning, will bring pain 
and sorrow in the end. 

20. — His lamp, &c. See the note on Job xviii. 6, xxix. 3. 

24. — his way : to what the way which he takes will lead. A 
man's enterprises succeed not as he desires and designs, but as 
God disposes and directs. Comp. ch. xvi. 9, Jer. x. 23. 

25. — what is holy : i. e. a vow. 

26. — the wheel, &c. See Amos i. 3, and the note. 

27. — lamp of Jehovah : i.e. lighted up by him. 

30. — a cleansing from evil : i. e. effectual means to reclaim a 
vicious man. 

Ch. XXI. 1. As streams of water : which husbandmen or gar- 
deners conduct over their fields or gardens. — heart of the king : 
not only the hearts of other men, but even the hearts of kings, 
who are more absolute and uncontrollable than other men. The 
application of this proverb seems to be uncertain. It may be designed 
to show that the power of kings to do evil is limited ; that the 
people cannot be oppressed by them more than God sees fit ; or to 
show that a religious reverence is due to the determinations of 
kings. Harmer and some others suppose the verse to relate par- 
ticularly to the bounty of a king. " Which way soever the heart 
of a king turneth, it conveys riches, just as a watering canal doth 
plenty ; and let it be remembered that the Lord turns it whither- 
soever he will, and makes whom he pleases the favorite of 
princes." 

4. — splendor : literally, lamp. It appears to be a metaphor, 



THE PROVERBS. 201 

denoting the splendor and prosperity in which the wicked man 
glories. See the note on Job xxix. 3. — ruin : in this sense the 
Hebrew term is evidently used in ch. x. 16. 

5. — the active, &c. " He that to prudent counsels and con- 
trivances adds an honest diligence is likely to grow rich ; but he 
that acts inconsiderately in his business, or greedily catches at 
every advantage, whether by right or wrong, or undertakes more 
than he can manage, out of an eager desire to grow rich presently, 
is most likely to be a beggar." Patrick. 

6. — scattered breath : which is breathed forth from the lips, 
and immediately disappears. Comp.ch.xiii.il. — seek death: 
i. e. seek that which will prove their destruction. See ch. viii. 36. 

7. — snatch them away : i. e. shall prove their own ruin. Comp. 
Ps. vii. 16. 

8. — guilty man. See Gesenius on 1T1. — is crooked: i.e. 
he uses immoral means for the attainment of his end. 

9. — a large house : literally, a house of fellowship : i. e. large 
enough to contain more families than one. Or the meaning may 
be, a common house, i. e. one occupied by more than one family. 

10. The design of this proverb seems to be to give a caution 
against having any close connection with a wicked man, since he 
will spare neither friend nor foe who stands in the way of his 
designs. 

11. See the note on ch. xix. 25. 

12. He causes, &c. By the pronoun He we may understand 
God. Comp. ch. xxii. 12. But the connection seems to require 
us to refer it to the righteous man in the parallel line, being re- 
garded as a judge or magistrate. 

16. — the dead : more literally, shades, or ghosts. " By the 
term D^S^S*;^, which denotes languid, feeble, the ancient Hebrews 
refer to the shades, manes, or ghosts, of the dead, whom they sup- 
posed to be destitute of blood and animal life, and therefore weak 
and languid like a sick person. Is. xiv. 10 ; but yet not wholly 
without some faculties of mind, as, for example, memory. Is. xiv. • 
9, Ps. Ixxxviii. 11, Prov. ii. 18, ix. 18, Is. xxvi. 14, 19." Ges. 

18. — ransom. Comp. ch. xi. 8, Is. xliii. 3, 4. 

20. — swalloics them up : i. e. wastes by extravagance and 
dissipation what he ought to reserve for a future day. 

22. Comp. Eccles. vii. 19, ix. 18. 

24. — scoffer is his name: i. e. he is deserving of the severest 
condemnation, and exposes himself to punishment from God. 



202 NOTES. 

25. — the death of him : i. e. his indolent wishes, which lead 
to no exertion, prey upon his health. 

27. — an abomination. See the note on ch. xv. 8. — with an 
evil design : i. e. when he is meditating some particular evil de- 
sign, and wishes to hide it. 

28. — that hears : i. e. that testifies to nothing which he has not 
heard or seen. — shall always speak : i. e. when liars are cut 
off, he lives, and will be allowed to deliver his testimony as long as 
he lives. 

29. — hardens his face : " Here is, 1. The presumption and 
impudence of a wicked man. He hardens his face, brazens it, that 
he may not blush, steels it, that he may not tremble when he com- 
mits the greatest crimes ; he will have his way, and nothing shall 
hinder him. Is. Ivii. 17. 2. The caution and circumspection of a 
good man ; he does not ask, ' What would I do ? What have I a 
mind to ? and that I will have ' ; but, ' What should I do ? What 
does God require of me.'' What is duty.'* What is prudence.? 
What is for edification ? ' And so he does not force his way, but 
directs it by a safe and certain rule." Henry. 

Ch. XXn. 1. — good-will: an interest in the affections and 
esteem of all about us. Comp. Luke ii. 52, Phil. iv. 8. 

2. — meet together : i. e. the world does not consist of all rich, 
or all poor, but they are mingled together as the members of the 
same civil community. — the Maker of them all : and therefore 
they are under obligation to exercise respect and good-will toward 
each other. Comp. ch. xiv. 31, Job xxxi. 15, Mai. ii. 10. 

5. — far from them: i. e. from the society of the deceitful. 

7. The rich, &c. The point of this proverb, probably, is the un- 
expressed consequence which is to be drawn from it, namely, that 
a man should by industry and frugality acquire property, and thus 
possess the glorious privilege of being independent. 

8. — is prepared : i. e. made ready for him. For this meaning 
of the Hebrew term, comp. 1 Sam. xx. 7, 9, xxv. 17. 

11. — loves purity, &c. He that has a sincere and upright 
heart will utter not flattery, but his honest convictions, so that his 
discourse will be agreeable, and gain the favor of a good king. 

12. — watch over knowledge : i. e. men of knowledge, in oppo- 
sition to false pretenders. The providence of God watches over 
such men, and prospers the advice they give ; whilst the words or 
vain and deceitful counsels of the dishonest will come to nothing. 



THE PROVERBS. 203 

14. The motith: by which they allure and persuade the thought- 
less to sin and ruin. 

16. — gives to the rich : either as a bribe or in expectation of 
receiving some return. 

17. The passage from verse 17 to 21, instead of consisting of 
proverbs, is an exhortation to the study of wisdom, and is to 
be regarded either as an epilogue to the division from ch. x. 
to this place, or as an introduction to the collection from ver. 
22 to ch. xxiv. 22. The proverbs from ch. xxii. 22 to ch. xxiv. 
22 differ from the preceding in being more in the way of ex- 
hortation or admonition, and less sententious ; most of them re- 
quiring more than one verse, and some of them, three, four, or 
more, for the expression of the sentiment. 

18. — established upon thy lips : i. e. if they be, as it were, at 
your tongue's end, ready to be applied to the various exigencies 
of life. 

21. — that send thee : i. e. show yourself capable and trust- 
worthy to them that employ thee in any business of which they 
expect an account of thee. 

22. — because he is poor : i. e. do not take advantage of his 
poverty and his inability to resist thee. — at the gate : i. e. in a 
court of law. See the note on Job v. 4. 

25. — take to thyself, &c. : i. e. acquire such a disposition and 
character as shall involve you in difficulties. — a snare : i. e. 
that v^^hich will prove a snare. 

26. See the note on ch. vi. 1. 

27. — thy bed, &c. : i. e. why should you expose yourself to 
such a state of things, that, if you are unable to pay your bonds, the 
creditor may take from you every thing, so that you shall not even 
have a bed upon which to lay your head ? 

28. — landmark. Comp. Deut. xix. 14. 

29. — obscure. This is the metaphorical term of the original 
to denote persons in humble station. 

Ch. XXIII. 2. —^ put a knife to thy throat, &c. : i. e. restrain 
thyself from greediness and excess, as it were by the application 
of a knife in a threatening manner to thy throat. This precept 
seems designed not only to guard against intemperance, but against 
improper behaviour, in the presence of a ruler, to which excess 
might lead. 

3. — deceitful meat: i. e. the friendship of rulers and great 



204 NOTES. 

men, however agreeable and flattering, is very uncertain and un- 
stable, nay, even deceitful ; since experience proves that they who 
are familiar with princes are in a situation of great danger. 

4. — thy wisdom : i. e. that sort of wisdom which consists in 
laboring to be rich, and supposing that riches are all that is wanting 
to happiness. 

5. — that which is not : i. e. which has no permanent exist- 
ence. 

6. — that has an evil eye: i. e. an avaricious, sordid dispo- 
sition. 

7. — as he thinks in his hearty &c. : i. e. his true character is 
displayed in what is passing in his mind, rather than in what 
he utters with his lips. — is not with thee : i. e. his invitation is 
not cordial. It was given from ostentation, or for ambitious and 
selfish purposes. 

8. — vomit up : i. e. when you have discovered his illiberality 
and selfishness, or perhaps ill treatment, you will feel such disgust 
as to wish that what you have swallowed could be thrown back 
upon his table. — pleasant words: i. e. whatever compliments, 
courtesies, or agreeable discourse you may have bestowed upon 
your entertainer. 

9. Speak not, &c. : i. e. for the purpose of admonition or 
direction. 

10. —-enter not: i. e. either to reap their crops, or perhaps, 
rather, to possess their lands. 

11. — their avenger: i. e. though they may have no human 
guardians or friends to oppose thee, they have in heaven a vindi- 
cator, or avenger, who is able and willing to defend their rights, 
or punish their infringement. On the term avenger or vindicator, 
see the note on Job xix. 25. 

13' — he will not die: i. e. he will escape the ruin which is 
the consequence of wickedness. 

17. — envy, &c. : i. e. let not the view of their present pros- 
perity excite thee to envy them, and to approve and imitate their 
evil courses, 

18. — a reward: i. e. for them that persevere in the ways of 
religion and virtue. 

20. — prodigal of their flesh : i. e. waste away their bodies by 
sensual indulgence. 

23. Buy truth : Spare no pains nor cost to obtain the knowl- 
edge of what is true and right, and hold it fast. 



THE PROVERBS. 205 

27. — deep pit ; — narrow well: from which one can with diffi- 
culty escape, when he has fallen into it. 

28. — lies in wait. See ch, vii. 12. — gathers: i. e. to the 
number of those whom she has already made her prey. 

29. — without cause: i. e. not in the just and necessary defence 
of himself or his country. 

30. — mixed wine : i. e. spiced, strong wine. 

34. — midst of the sea : i. e. in a ship in the midst of the sea. 

— top of a mast. As the comparison holds good in several par- 
ticulars, there is some doubt as to that which was intended by the 
poet ; whether he refers to the stupidity and senselessness of dan- 
ger which are the consequence of intoxication, or to the giddy 
feelings of the persons intoxicated, when their heads swim, and 
they feel as if they were tossed about by the rolling waves of 
the sea. 

35. Here the drunkard is represented as using the language 
which corresponds to his senselessness and stupidity. " I cannot 
deny that I exposed myself by my drunkenness to various abuses 
and injuries. But I was not sensible of them at the time, nor do 
I now feel much harm from them." — When shall I aicake ? i. e. 
O, that I could rouse myself from my state of languor and stupidity ! 
I would again seek wine. 

Ch. XXIV. 1. — envious of wicked men: let it not disturb 
thy tranquillity to see men thrive who are bent upon wickedness. 

— to he with them : i.e. as a companion and a partaker of their 
profitable crimes. Comp. ch. xxiii. 17. 

5. — is strong. Comp. Eccles. ix. 14 — 16. 

6. Comp. ch. XX. 18. 

7. — too high : i. e. so that he cannot attain it, and is ashamed 
to speak at the gate ^ i. e. in the place of judgment, or in public. 

8. — devises to do evil., &c, : i. e. a contriver of unju&t, mali- 
cious plans shall be hated, comp. ch. xiv. 17, and branded with an 
odious name. 

9. — is sin, &c. The meaning of this verse seems to be, that 
the purpose of evil, before it breaks forth into action, is sinful in 
the sight of God ; but that the bold and obstinate offender is not 
only offensive to God, but odious to men. 

10. — faint, &c. : i. e, when courage or hope is lost, all is lost. 

11. — Spare thyself not : i.e. Spare no pains to discover the 

18 



206 NOTES. 

innocence of one who is about to be led to execution. This noay 
be addressed to judges in particular. 

12. — we knew it not : It is no excuse to say, that you are 
ignorant of the guilt or innocence of the accused, or that you knew 
not but that he was justly condemned, unless you have taken ail 
possible pains to discover the truth in relation to the case. 

13. Eat honey : This is said merely to illustrate the following 
verse by an implied comparison. 

16. — fall seven times : i. e. though he repeatedly fail into 
calamities. — fall into mischief : and not rise again. 

17. Rejoice not^ Slc. Comp. Job xxxi. 29. 

18. — turn away his anger ^ &c. : namely, upon thee. 

20. — lamp. See ch. xx. 20, and note. 

21. — and the king: whom the Orientals regarded as the vice- 
gerent of God, standing in a near and peculiar relation to him, 
called his son, &c. — given to change : fond of revolution, diso- 
bedient and rebellious subjects, disorganizers. 

22. — proceeding from both: namely, God and the king. 

23. These also are words of the wise. These words probably 
have relation to ch. xxii. 17, and intimate that the proverbs from 
ver. 23 to the end of this chapter are an appendix to those men- 
tioned in ch. xxii. 17. 

26. — gives a right answer: i. e. the judge who gives correct 
decisions. — Kisses the lips : i. e. Gains good-will, makes himself 
beloved. 

27. — huild thy house : " Do every thing in order ; and first 
mind those things which are most necessary ; contenting thyself 
with a little hut in the field, till thou hast gotten an estate by a 
careful improvement of thy pasturage and thy tillage ; and then it 
will be timely enough to build thee an house, and to bring a wife 
into it." Patrick. 

29. Comp. ch. xx. 22. 

Ch. XXV. 1. — men of Hezekiah : i. e. literary men whom 
Hezekiah appointed for the purpose. The title in which these 
words are contained is prefixed to the collection of proverbs which 
extends to ch. xxx., which the learned men of Hezekiah copied 
from larger collections, or from books in which they were scattered. 

2. — to conceal a thing : to hide from human eyes the reasons 
of his purposes and proceedings. — search out a matter : i. e. 



THE PROVERBS. 207 

when they decide and decree nothing until they have made the 
most careful examination, so as to be able to give the clearest rea- 
sons for their proceedings. 

3. — unsearchable: men in general are unable to penetrate the 
purposes and designs of kings. 

4 and 5. "You cannot have a pure silver vessel, till you have 
purified the silver ; and no nation can have a king a public bles- 
sing, till all bad counsellors, wicked and interested ministers, and 
sycophants are banished from the court and cabinet." 

6 and 7. Comp. Luke xiv. 10. 

8. Go not forth^ &c. : i. e. to the gates where the courts of law- 
were usually held. 

9. — another's secret : not even the heat of contention with an 
opponent will justify the revelation of his secret which may have 
been intrusted to you. 

11. — with figures : i. e. ornamented with silver figures. Other- 
wise, upon images of silver. Some render, in baskets of silver. 
But this rendering is not supported by Hebrew usage, as may be 
seen in Ges. ad verb. 

13. — cold of snow ^ &c. There can be little doubt that the use 
of snow in cooling drinks is referred to. 

14. — falsely boasts of giving : i. e. makes many promises of 
what he will give, which he never performs. 

15. — breaks bones : i. e. melts the heart as hard as a bone ; 
as we say, as a stone. 

16. This verse may be regarded as a separate precept, incul- 
cating moderation, especially in things which are pleasant, or 
merely as an illustration of ver. 17. 

18. A battle-hammer.^ &c. : i. e. equally pernicious and de- 
structive. 

20. — vinegar upon nitre : which causes it to efl^ervesce, and, 
as it were, irritates it. Mitre here probably denotes a mineral 
alkali, the natron of the moderns, or Egyptian nitre, which, being 
mingled with oil, is still used for soap. 

22. — coals of fire upon his head. This expression seems most 
naturally to denote that which causes the most intense pain, that 
which is insupportable. The meaning seems to be, that, by return- 
ing good for evil, the evil-doer will be overwhelmed with remorse 
and shame. 

23. — brings forth rain : covers the face of the sky with black 
clouds, full of rain, so a backbiting tongue causes indignation in 



208 NOTES. 

him who is slandered, which may be the cause of punishment to 
the slanderer. 

26. — troubled fountain^ — corrupted spring. It is as melan- 
choly and discouraging a circumstance to see a good man, who is 
the source of much good to his fellow-men, fall into ruin through 
the arts of the wicked, as it is to the weary, thirsty traveller to 
find a fountain or a spring trampled upon and polluted, so as to be 
unfit for use. It seems to be more agreeable to the use of the 
word £3D to understand it as denoting /a/Zm^ into ruin^ or calamity^ 
not voluntarily succumbing, and yielding to the persuasions of the 
wicked. Possibly, however, it may mean to vacillate^ in a moral 
sense. 

27. — So the search of high things is weariness. High things 
may denote difficult questions respecting Providence, or other sub- 
jects of human investigation ; in which case, the meaning will be 
similar to that of the observation in Ecclesiastes, that much study 
is a weariness of the flesh. Or, high things may denote worldly 
honors; in which case, the line will relate to the cares and vexations 
which attend the pursuit of honor. In the original, there is, I 
think, a sort of play upon words, using the same word twice in 
the line with an altered signification. The word rendered high 
things denotes high^ honorable.^ glorious^ and also heavy. An im- 
perfect imitation of the line in English would be. The search of 
weighty things is weighty ; understanding weighty., in the first case, 
in the sense of important., and in the second, in the sense of heavy. 
The verse is rendered in the sense which I have assigned to it by 
Coverdale. " Like as it is not good to eat much honey, even so 
he that will search out high things, it shall be too heavy for him." 
The supply of a negative, as in the common version, appears to me 
to be inadmissible. 

Ch. XXVI. 1. — snow., &c. : i. e. unseasonable and incongru- 
ous. — fool : i. e. one who by his folly or wickedness, or both 
united, makes a bad use of power. 

2. — shall not come : shall not take effect, or fall upon him 
against whom it is uttered, but be dispersed into the air, as the 
birds mentioned fly away, no one knows whither. 

4. — according to his folly. Some suppose the meaning of 
ver. 4 and 5 to be, that, according to circumstances and the na- 
ture of his folly, a fool should or should not receive any answer. 
It appears to me the meaning is best elicited by understanding the 



THE PROVERBS. 209 

phrase according to his folly in different senses. In the first case, 
Answer not in the manner of the fool ; in the second, Answer him 
in the manner ivhich his folly demands. " If the fool boast of him- 
self, do not answer him by boasting of thyself. If he rail and talk 
passionately, do not thou rail and talk passionately too. If he tell 
one great lie, do not thou tell another to match it. If he calum- 
niate thy friends, do not thou calumniate his. If he banter, do not 
answer him in his own language, lest thou he like him." Henry. 
But answer in such a manner as his folly demands, as is adapted to 
expose it and convince him of it, and leave him nothing to say for 
himself, lest he be wise in his own conceit. 

6. — has his feet cut off : i. e. he fails in the object of the mis- 
sion, as surely as if he should cut off the feet of the person sent. 

7. — hang loose : like a dead weight, useless, and serve no 
purpose. The rendering which I have adopted seems best sup- 
ported. See Gesen. ad verb. 

8. — honor to a fool. It is as ill placed in his hands, as gems 
upon a heap of common, worthless stones. 

9. — a thorn, &c. He injures himself and others by the ill 
use he makes of it, as one would by brandishing a thorn-bush up 
and down, at random. 

10. A master, &c. The meaning of this proverb, which proba- 
bly has been explained more variously than any other in the book, 
seems to be, that it is best to employ in any business one who is 
capable, and well acquainted with the work ; and that he who 
employs the incapable and worthless is like one who should hire 
chance travellers, who would take no interest in the employer or 
his work. See Gesen. Thesaurus on h^r\. Luther renders, " Ein 
guter Meister macht ein Ding recht ; aber wer einen Hiimpler 
dinget, dem wirds verdorben." 

12. — of a fool : i. e. who may become sensible of his folly and 
willing to receive instruction. 

13. — lion, &c. He is frightened from real duties by fancied 
difficulties. 

14. — turns, &c. : i. e. backward and forward, without leaving 
them ; so the sluggard lies in his bed on one side till he is weary 
of that, and then turns to the other, but still is in his bed. 

16. The sluggard, &c. Taking no pains to inform himself, and 
of course ignorant of the difficulties which attend an opinion or a 
determination, he takes himself to be wiser than others. 

17. — a dog by the ears: i. e. he incurs much danger, without 

18* 



210 NOTES. 

necessity or the possibility of advantage. Travellers in the East 
speak of the wild and fierce character of the dogs in that region. 

18. As a madman : As dangerous and as much to be shunned as 
a madman. 

22. See ch. xviii. 8. 

26. Though he may for a time conceal his malicious feelings, 
yet the time will come when his malice shall be publicly known, 
and receive the punishment which it deserves. 

27. — digs a pit : i. e. lays a plot for the injury of another. 
The metaphor is drawn from the practice of hunters, who used to 
dig deep pits and then cover them with bushes, earth, &;c., that 
wild beasts might fall into them. — rolls a stone : i. e. up a steep 
place, in order that it may crush another. 

28. — those whom it wounds : i. e. because the slanderer is con- 
scious of having incurred the enmity of the slandered. 

Ch. XXVII. 3. — afooVs wrath. See ch. xvii. 12. 

4. — jealousy. Comp. ch. vi. 34, 35. These proverbs apply 
with still greater force to Oriental countries than to our own. 

5. — love kept concealed : i.e. which does not manifest itself in 
giving needful reproof, and in care for the moral welfare of a friend. 

8. As a bird, &c. As a bird that forsakes its nest exposes itself 
to danger, and cannot easily settle again, so he whose levity or 
discontent makes him rashly leave his country, or trade, or office, 
wherein he was well placed, too often undoes himself, but rarely 
mends his condition. 

10. And go not into thy brother's house : i. e. by fidelity in friend- 
ship, acquire such faithful friends, that it shall not be necessary to 
repair to a brother. 

11. — that reproaches me : i. e. with want of care for my child, 
on account of his unworthy conduct. 

12. Comp. ch. xxii. 3. 

13. See ch. xx. 16, and the note. 

14. To him : i. e. who blesses his neighbour, &c. His neigh- 
bour will regard this kind of blessing as no better than a curse. 
He will suspect the sincerity of it. There is an Italian proverb, 
»* He who praises you more than he was wont to do has either 
deceived you or is about to do it." 

15. Comp. ch. xix. 13, and the note. 

16. — oil, &c. : which betrays, and, as it were, proclaims itself, 
by its fragrance. So blood is said "to cry out," Gen. iv. 10. 



THE PROVERBS. 211 

17. — sharpens the face : i. e. the looks, the countenance. This 
may be understood as expressing the idea, that by conversation and 
discussion one man may quicken and invigorate the mental faculties 
of another. But there is considerable reason for supposing; that the 
face is here regarded as the seat o^ anger ; in which case, to sharpen 
the face will denote to inflame the anger. Comp. Job xvi. 9, and 
the note. 

19. So does the heart of man to man. These words have been 
understood in various ways. They are commonly understood as de- 
noting, that, as there is a resemblance between the face of a man 
and the reflected image of it in the water, so there is a resemblance 
between one man's heart and another's, so that in many cases we 
may judge of others by ourselves. Otherwise, as the water is a 
looking-glass, in which we may see our faces by reflection, so the 
heart or conscience is a mirror, in which the character of the man 
may be discerned Otherwise, as every man will find reflected 
in the water such a countenance, whether sour or smiling, as he 
brings when he looks into it, so he ought to expect no other dispo- 
sitions and feelings from others than those which he exercises 
toward them. Love wins love, &c. 

20. — the eyes of man. The eyes here denote not merely 
curiosity, but the desires generally. Comp. Eccles. i. 8, iv. 8. 

21. So let a man he : i. e. Let him take care not to be deceived 
by flattery, but consider who it is that gives praise, what may be 
the motive, and how far it is deserved. 

23 — 27. "These verses recommend the advantages of private 
life ; and show that diligence in rural employments, and the plenty 
obtained by it, are more conducive to true happiness than the un- 
stable and uneasy, though splendid, possessions of wealth and au- 
thority." 

24. — riches. The term here seems to denote that kind of 
wealth which may be treasured up, such as money, garments, &c., 
in distinction from herds, lands, &c. — the crown: i. e. royal or 
princely dignity. 

26. — the price of thy field : i. e. that with which you may pur- 
chase land. 

Ch. XXVIII. 1. "An evil conscience makes men timorous and 
cowardly, like a faint-hearted soldier who runs away at the appear- 
ance of an enemy, and never so much as looks back to see whether 
he pursue him." Patrick. 



212 NOTES. 

2. — many are its rulers. This may denote rulers following 
each other in rapid succession, and by continual revolution ; or 
rulers exercising authority at the same time, in rebellion against 
the legitimate king. 

3. Is a sweeping rain : which, instead of refreshing the corn, 
as gentle showers do, beats it down and lays it flat, so that it can 
never recover, and a famine comes upon the land. " This is 
especially true in the East. There places are often sold by the 
needy government to the highest bidder, who, not knowing how 
soon another may bid higher for his place, makes the most of his 
time to remunerate himself, unscrupulous as to the means." 

4. — praise the wicked: i. e. their conduct encourages and vir- 
tually commends the wicked. 

5. — understand not equity : i. e. discern not, or feel not the 
force of, moral distinctions; their consciences are weak or dead; 
their corruptions blind their eyes and fill them with prejudices; 
and, because they do evil, they hate the light. — all things : i. e. 
relating to equity or moral conduct. 

8. Gathers it for him, Sdc. : i. e. By the wise retributions of 
Heaven, it passes into the hands of one who will make a good use 
of it. Comp. ch. xiii. 22, Job xxvii. 17. 

9. — turns away his ear, &c. He that refuses to hearken unto 
God and to obey his laws deceives himself, if he thinks by his 
prayers to please him, and make amends for his crimes; for God 
will be so far from hearkening to him, that he will abominate such 
prayers as tend to nothing but to make God a partner with him in 
his sins. 

11. — searches him through : i. e. he looks through all his 
vain show, and easily discovers and makes it appear what he 
really is. 

12. — rejoice : i. e. in the possession of authority and high 
station, as is suggested by the antithetical line. — great splendor : 
i. e. instead of hiding themselves, as in the antithetical line, men 
go about in splendid apparel, the sign of general prosperity. 
— hide themselves : from a feeling of gloom, and from regard to 
their safety, they conceal themselves, their wealth, ornaments, &c. 

13. — covers his sins. See Ps. xxxii. 3 — 5. 

14. — fears always : namely, to displease God, or to incur the 
evil consequences of sin. Comp. ch. xiv. 16. 

15. — a needy people : who have little to satisfy his cupidity, 
and from their weakness are sure to be oppressed by him. 



THE PROVERBS. 213 

16. — great in oppression : and tlius has a short reign, as is to 
be understood from the antithetical line. 

17. — borne dozen: i. e. oppressed with the burden of blood- 
guiltiness. — the pit : i. e. the grave. He must be a perpetual 
fugitive. Otherwise, will flee to the pit ^ &c. : i. e. will fall into one 
danger in endeavouring to escape from another. 

18. — at once : i. e. suddenly and unexpectedly. 

20. — faithful man: i. e. to his promises, engagements, <fcc. 
— makes haste to he rich : i. e. not being a faithful man, as in the 
antithetical line. 

21. — for a piece of bread., &c. Though at the first the partial 
judge could not be bribed without a great sum of money, yet, when 
he has once vitiated his conscience and accustomed himself to take 
bribes, he will at last sell a decision for the smallest advantage. 

22. — evil eye : i. e. a sordid, covetous, uncharitable disposition. 
Comp. ch. xxii. 9, xxiii. 6. 

24. — is the companion of a robber : i.e. deserves to be classed 
with robbers. 

25. — strife : which involves him in expense and losses, as is 
to be inferred from the antithetical line. 

26. — is a fool : his self-confidence and rashness lead him into 
misfortunes, from which he who walks wisely is delivered. 

27. — shuts his eyes : i. e. turns them away from the petition 
and miseries of the poor. — many a curse : i. e. from God. 
Comp. ch. iii. 33, Mai. ii. 2. 

28. Comp. ver. 12. 

Ch. XXIX. 1. — hardens his neck : i. e. continues refractory 
or disobedient; a metaphor drawn from stubborn oxen, w^hich refuse 
to submit to the yoke. 

3. — rejoices his father : i. e. by his success in life, as is implied 
in the antithetical clause. 

4. — receives gifts : i. e. as bribes. 

5. — for his feet : i. e. of his neighbour. 

6. — there is a snare : in which he will be caught and brought 
to ruin. 

7. — discerns not knowledge : i. e. he has no true knowledge ; 
he is not imbued with the principles of equity, and pays no regard 
to them in his decisions. 

8. Scoffers., &c. : i. e. They who deride religion and positive 
laws. — aflame : excite tumults and commotions. 



214 NOTES. 

9. Whether he frown or laugh, &c. : i. e. Whether he take the 
serious or the jocular way of dealing with him, whether he be 
severe or pleasant with him, there will be no end to the contro- 
versy ; the fool will answer, object, excuse, &c., and have the last 
word. 

10. — hates the upright : who disapprove and oppose his evil 
designs. 

11. — his anger r so the Sept., Syr., and Chald. ; more literally, 
his spirit, as it is rendered in ch. xxv. 28, where a similar senti- 
ment is expressed. 

12. — listen : i. e. lend his ear to calumniators and flatterers. 
This verse is well explained by Ecclesiasticus x. 2 : " As the judge 
of the people is himself, so are his officers ; and what manner of 
man the ruler of the city is, such are all they that dwell therein." 

13. The poor man and the oppressor, &c. Comp. ch. xxii. 2, 
which contains a similar sentiment. — enlightens, &c. : he is the 
author of light and life to both. 

18. — no vision: i. e. prophetic vision, or all that instruction 
which it was the office of a prophet to give to the people. 

19. — by words. " A slave, and he that is of a servile nature, 
is not to be amended by reason and persuasions; no, nor by re- 
proofs or threats ; for though he hear, and understand, too, what 
you say, yet he will not obey till he be forced unto it by blows." 
Patrick. 

20. Comp. ch. xxvi. 12. " Seest thou a man that is forward to 
speak to every matter that is started, and affects to speak first to it, 
to open it and speak last to it, to give judgment upon it, as if he 
were an oracle ? There is more hope of a modest fool, who is sen- 
sible of his folly, than of such a self-conceited one." Henry. 

21. — become a son : he will presume upon the indulgence of 
his master, take the liberties of a son, conduct himself as if he one 
day expected to be master. 

23. Comp. ch. xv. 33, Matt, xxiii. 12. 

24. — hates himself: i. e. by bringing ruin upon himself, he acts 
as though he hated himself — makes no discovery : i. e. he hears 
the curse imprecated upon him as a witness, if he do not speak the 
truth ; but, rather than acknowledge his own participation in the 
theft, he incurs the guilt of perjury. Levit. v. 1. 

26. — every man s judgment, &c. This may denote that the sen- 
tence which the ruler gives concerning any man's cause depends 
upon God, who turns the hearts of rulers as the rivers of water 



THE PROVERBS. 215 

are turned ; comp. ch. xvi. 33, xxi. 1. Or, more generally, that 
every man's condition and success in life depend more upon the 
favor of God than upon the favor of a ruler. 

Ch. XXX. 1. " This chapter contains a new collection of pithy 
sayings, w^hich some fancy to be Solomon's, and therefore translate 
the two first words thus : ' The words of the collector, or gatherer.* 
But why Solomon should call himself by this name, and, also, in- 
stead of the son of David, style himself the son of Jakeh, seems to 
me unaccountable. And therefore it is most reasonable to follow 
our translation, and to look upon this chapter as a fragment of some 
wise sentences delivered by one whose name was Agur, and his 
father's name Jakeh ; unless we will conceive that this son of 
Jakeh (whoever he was) had gotten the name of collector^ because, 
though he was a very wise man, yet he composed nothing himself, 
but only gathered out of other wise men's works such instructions 
as he thought most profitable, and comprised in a few words a great 
deal of sense." Patrick. Or, if the name Agur be regarded as 
symbolical, like Koheleth, the Preacher, it may denote an assem- 
bler^ one of the assembly, i. e. of wise men. Comp. Eccles. xii. 11. 
Ithiel^ a name denoting God-with-me, and Ucal^ denoting powerful, 
were, no doubt, sons or disciples of Agur. 

2. — more stupid than any man, &c. It has been supposed 
that the professions of ignorance, in ver. 2 and 3, are by way of 
reply to his disciples Ithiel and Ucal, who may have ascribed to 
him extraordinary knowledge, or have come to him with hard 
metaphysical or theological questions. But it is quite as probable 
that Agur speaks of his acquired knowledge and attainments with 
such humility, by way of contrast with the word of God, ver. 5, 
i. e. that truth which comes by inspiration, which God has spoken 
or may speak by his prophets. Comp. Amos vii. 14, 15, Jer. i. 6, 
Job xxxii. 7, 8. 

3. — wisdom : i. e. philosophy ; that wisdom that comes by 
study and by the instruction of the learned. — knowledge of the 
Most Holy. Comp. ch. ix. 10. The meaning seems to be, that he 
had not a knowledge of the deep things of God, his purposes, the 
ways of providence, &c. Comp. Job xi. 7. It may have been 
part of the design of this profession of ignorance to rebuke some of 
the author's contemporaries, who may have made great pretensions 
to knowledge of things human and divine. 

4. The design of the questions in this verse seems to be, to illus- 



216 NOTES. 

trate maa's ignorance of the works and the ways of God ; to show 
that God alone is wise, and that man must depend upon him for 
instruction. Comp. Job xxxviii. — xli. No one was entitled to 
trust, or boast of, his knowledge of God acquired by his own facul- 
ties, unless he could show that he had obtained it by ascending to 
heaven, &lq,. ; or unless he manifested his wisdom and power by 
doing such wonderful things as ascending to the skies, holding the 
wind, &c. Roberts quotes as Orientalisms still in use, ''Yes, you 
are quite sure, you know all about it ! Have you just returned 
from the heavens ^ " " Truly he has just finished his journey from 
above j listen, listen to this divine messenger ! " " Our friend is about 
to do wonderful things ; he has already caught the wind ; he has 
seized it with his hand." See Roberts's Illustrations, ad loc. 
— What is his name : i. e. By what name is the wise man, the 
philosopher, called, who can do or explain these things .'' — his 
son's name : i. e. either, what is the name of one of his disciples, 
or of one of his kindred, his son. It is an emphatic way of de- 
claring that no one ever heard of such a person. Comp. Amos 
vii. 14. 

5. Every word of God: i. e. Every declaration, promise, and 
precept. — pure: i. e. free from error and imperfection. 

6. Add not, &c, Comp. Deut. iv. 2, 

8. — falsehood and lies. These words may refer to the errors 
of idolatry, and to false religious opinions, so as to have some rela- 
tion to what precedes. Comp. Jer. xviii. 15. Others suppose the 
expressions to refer to the outside show, the deceitful promises, of 
mere wealth, station, pleasure, the "lying vanities of life," so as to 
have some relation to what follows respecting a state of mediocrity. 

9. — swear falsely : Comp. Deut. viii. 11, &c. It has been 
observed that the danger of perjury was greater among the Jews 
than with us, as their custom or law tendered an oath to persons 
suspected or accused of theft, to clear or purge themselves. See 
Exod. xxii. 8 - 11. 

10. Lest he curse thee, &c. The consideration of the tempta- 
tions of poverty reminds the author of the condition of the poor 
slave, who was probably often accused upon light grounds, and thus 
tempted to perjure himself, or incur the vengeance of a too rigorous 
master. It is also intimated that the curse imprecated by the 
slave upon such a careless, inconsiderate informer might take effect, 
not being causeless. 

11. In this and the following verses the author points out four 



THE PROVERBS. 217 

vices, which were probably the prevailing vices of his time, 
as especially to be detested and avoided, namely, — ingratitude, 
especially filial ingratitude, hypocrisy, pride, and oppression or 
extortion. 

13. — lofty are their eyes, &c. Comp. ch. vi. 17, xxi. 4. 

15, 16. After the mention of four detestable things, four insa- 
tiable things are enumerated, either as curious in themselves, or as 
illustrating the insatiable desires of man. — horseleech : or blood- 
sucker, which sucks the blood of other animals till it bursts. 

" But if he seize you, then the torture dread ; 
He fastens on you till he read you dead ; 
And, like a leech, voracious of his food, 
Quits not his cruel hold till gorged with blood." 

Francis's Horace, Ars Poet. 475. 

Gesenius supposes that by the bloodsucker an imaginary female 
spectre is here denoted, which sucks human blood and is insatiable, 
like El Ghule of Arabian superstition in the Thousand and One 
Nights, and the vampyre. — two daughters. "At the first he 
seems to have thought but of two things, namely, the grave and 
the barren womb, which might be called the daughters of the 
horseleech, because they are so perfectly of the like nature in re- 
gard of their unsatiableness. But he presently adds another, nay, 
a fourth came into his mind, as no less greedy; namely, the thirsty 
earth, which in those hot countries sucks up all the rain as fast as 
it falls, though never so much, and the fire, which devours all the 
fuel that is laid upon it. And this he expresses after the manner 
of the Hebrews, who, intending to mention four things or more, 
separate them at first, and begin with a lesser number, and proceed 
then to all that they designed. Comp. Amos i. 3, 6, 9, &c., Prov. 
vi. 16, XXX. 18, 21." Patrick. 

17. — shall pick it out, &c. : i. e. they shall come to an in- 
famous and miserable end, their dead bodies being unburied and 
left to be a prey to the ravens which frequent the brooks that run 
in the valleys, and to the young eagles, which shall pick out those 
eyes in which their scorn and derision of their parents were wont 
to appear. Roberts observes that the eye is the first and favorite 
part attacked by birds of prey, as is seen in the numerous bodies 
which various Eastern superstitions cause to be exposed to birds 
and beasts. " The crows shall one day pick out thy eyes," is no 
uncommon imprecation in the East. 

19 



218 NOTES. 

19. — track of an eagle, &c. " As when a bird hath flown 
through the air there is no token of her way to be found, but the 
light air, being beaten with the stroke of her wings and parted 
with the violent noise and motion of them, is passed through, and 
therein afterward no sign where she went is to be found." Wis- 
dom V. 11. — upon a rock : which receives no mark from the 
passing of a serpent over it. — a ship, &c. : that passes over 
the water, and leaves no trace of the keel in the waves. See 
Wisdom V. 10. — track of a man, &c. The first three things 
are designed as comparisons to illustrate or satirize the last ) 
namely, criminal intercourse with a maiden, with which no one is 
acquainted but the lovers ; while she is reputed a virgin, and con- 
ceals her wickedness with so much art, and assumes such an ap- 
pearance of chastity and modesty, that it is as impossible to discover 
that a man has had an improper connection with her, as to dis- 
cover tracks left by an eagle in the air, &c. 

20. Such : i. e. to be discovered with equal difficulty. — She 
eats, &c. : i. e. She conceals her criminal intercourse by a ready 
falsehood, as one would do, who, desiring to conceal that he has 
eaten any thing, should wipe his lips and deny it. 

22. — a servant ichen he becomes a king, as sometimes happens 
under the despotic governments of the East, is of all others most 
insolent, imperious, and cruel. There is a German proverb, " No 
razor shaves closer than when a boor becomes master." — filled 
with hread. This may refer to a conceited fool, whose manners in 
his prosperity none can bear ; or to a bad man, in whose hands 
wealth is the instrument of oppression and mischief. 

23. — when she becomes a wife. An ill-natured woman, when 
she gets a husband, being elated with her new dignity, displays all 
those ill humors which for her own ends she formerly concealed. 
She is then puffed up and imperious; and becomes intolerable to 
her own family, and to her relations and neighbours. — heir to 
her mistress: i. e. succeeds to the place of her mistress by the mar- 
riage of her master. This great and sudden change makes her in- 
tolerably proud, scornful, and insolent. 

24-28. The four following animals maybe mentioned merely 
as curious in natural history, as the three in ver. 29-31. Or, if 
they are designed to teach a moral lesson, it may be " that we 
should not admire bodily bulk, or beauty, or strength, or value 
persons for that, but judge of men by their wisdom and conduct, 
their industry and application to business, which are characters that 



THE PROVERBS. 219 

deserve respect. 2. To admire the wisdom and power of the 
Creator in the smallest and most despicable animals, in an ant as 
much as in an elephant. 3. To blame ourselves, who do not act 
so much for our own interest as the meanest creatures do for 
theirs." Henry. Umbreit supposes the verses to contain a satiri- 
cal reflection upon the speculating philosophers of the time. In- 
stead of Yet are they wise, instructed in wisdom, he renders. Yet 
are they wiser than the icise, i. e. the learned men. 

25. — their food. See ch. vi. 8, and the note. Comp. Virg. 
Mn. iv. 402. 

26. The jerboas : "An animal about the size of the rabbit, with a 
head resembling that of the hog, and the hind legs quite long and 
adapted for leaping ; it lives in caves and burrows dug in the sand, 
and is celebrated for its cunning. The name, i. e. the Hebrew 
name, might come from the burrows in which it hides itself, or from 
its cunning." Gesen. The Sept. renders it correctly, x^^Q^YQ^'^^^^?- 
It is the mus or dipus jaculus, of Linnseus. See also Robinson's 
Calmet, at the word Coney. 

27. — go forth in hands : i.e. as a -well ordered host to war. 
See Joel ii. 4-8. 

28. — lizard. This small animal is mentioned as frequenting 
houses by several writers quoted by RosenmOller. " Quid, cum 
me dorai sedentem stellio muscas captans, vel aranea retibus suis 
implicans, saspe intentum facit .'^ " Augustin., Confess., L. ix., C. 35. 
" Sub noctem conspicitur exigua qusedam lacerta secundum muros 
reptans et muscas captans." Bellonius, Observ., L. ii., C. 15. 
— seizes : its prey, such as flies, spiders, i&.c. — in king's palaces : 
in pursuit of its prey it is permitted to go into the palaces of kings ; 
or it has such ingenuity that it enters them with impunity. 

31. Tlie loin-girded icar-horse : literally, the loin-girded : an 
epithet which most probably denotes the horse, as equipped for 
war, with girths and buckles around the loins, a species of orna- 
ment frequently seen in the bass-reliefs of Persepolis, as Gesenius 
observes. By others the epithet is supposed to refer to the grey- 
hound, or the zebra, or the cock. — in the midst of his people : 
i. e. surrounded by them, and surveying them with pride and confi- 
dence, and walking before them with an air of majesty. 

32. — lifting thyself up : i. e. either in pride, or passion, or 
preparation to do an injury. — hand on thy mouth: i. e. be silent; 
do not say a word, much less do any thing toward the accomplish- 
ment of it. 



220 NOTES. 

33. — the pressing of anger. This verse I have rendered lit- 
erally. The design of it evidently is to inculcate forbearance, 
composure, quietness, in opposition to the hasty expression of 
anger, and the utterance of provoking language. Instead of giving 
way to anger, the effort should be to repress it. Comp. ch. xvii. 14. 
Or, instead of provoking the anger of another by reproaches, we 
should endeavour to repress it by mildness. 

Ch. XXXI. 1. Lemuel. This may have been the name of some 
Arabian or Edomitish king. There is no evidence that it was one 
of the names of Solomon ; nor has any good reason been assigned 
why his appropriate name should not have been given him, if he 
was intended. The name denotes either God-with-thcm, or of, or 
from, God. 

2. — son of my womb : very dear to me, as my own son, not 
merely mine by adoption. — son of my votes : for whom I made 
so many prayers and vows, if I might but see thee come safe into 
the world, and grow up to be a man, and sit upon a throne. 

3. — thy strength. The original term denotes not only strength 
of body and mind, but resources, treasures, &c. — thy ways : 
i. e. thy course of life. — that which destroys kings: i. e. an im- 
proper and excessive intercourse with women, which has frequently 
led to the overthrow of the most powerful monarchs, especially in 
the countries of the East. 

4. — to drink wine : i. e. to drink it to excess. It is of more 
importance for kings to be sparing in the use of wine, than for the 
miserable. Because by its influence the former forget justice to 
others, whilst the latter forget their own misery. 

6. Give strong drink, Slc. If the liberal use of wine and strong 
drink is to be allowed to any, it is to the poor and miserable rather 
than to rulers. — ready to perish is to be understood, not in a 
strict sense, but as denoting an unfortunate, poor, miserable man ; 
see ver. 7 ; though the Jews say that on this verse was founded 
the practice of giving a stupefying drink to condemned prisoners 
when they were going to execution, as they did to the Saviour. 

8. — for the dumb : i.e. for those who, through incapacity, like 
orphans, or through fear of powerful opponents, are unable to de- 
fend their cause. 

10-31. It seems probable that this description of a good wife is 
not a continuation of the discourse of Lemuel's mother, nor a de- 
scription of the wife of a king, but rather a distinct composition, 



THE PROVERBS. 221 

and perhaps by a different hand. It consists of twenty-two verses, 
beginning with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet in consecutive 
order ; the first with Aleph, the second with Beth, ifcc, whence 
Doederlein calls it the golden A B C for wives. Henry calls it the 
looking-glass for ladies, into which they should look and by which 
they should dress themselves. 

10. Who can find : " This intimates that good women are very 
scarce; that he that designs to marry ought to seek diligently for 
such a one, and to take heed that he be not biased by beauty or 
gayety, wealth or parentage, dressing well or dancing well, for all 
these may be and yet the woman not be virtuous ; and there is 
many a woman truly virtuous who yet is not recommended by these 
advantages." Henry. — good wife. The term good expresses the 
idea of the original better than virtuous. A capable as well as a 
virtuous woman is denoted, as is evident not only from the orig- 
inal term, but from the description which follows. The passage is 
a delineation of the ideal of a Hebrew housewife. 

11. — trusts, &c. : i. e. for the prudent and faithful manage- 
ment of all his domestic affairs. — of gain : i. e. by her industry 
and economy her husband is enriched with provision for the family. 

12. Ml the days of her life : i. e. not at first only, or now and 
then, by fits and starts, but constantly and perpetually. 

13. — toool and flax. It is well known that the most noble 
females among the Hebrews, Greeks, and Romans were engaged 
in labors of this kind. — works willingly, &c. : more literally, 
works with the delight of her hands : she makes it appear that her 
work is not her drudgery, but her delight. 

14. — - brings her food, &c. : by the sale of her homespun com- 
modities she procures provision from distant places. 

16. By her industry and economy she not only provides for the 
household, but even adds to her husband's possessions. 

17. — girds her loins : i. e. what she does she does with all her 
might. See the note on Job xii. 21. 

18. — her lamp is not extinguished, &c. : she continues her 
labors beyond the close of the day. Of course the expression is 
not to be understood to the letter. Comp. Virg. -^n. viii. 407, 
et seqq. Umbreit, who often strains his ingenuity to find a new 
meaning, supposes the expression to be an image of prosperity, as 
in ch. xiii. 9, xx. 20. 

21. — clothed with scarlet : i. e. not only protected from the 
cold, but even splendidly arrayed. Comp. 2 Sam. i. 24. 
19* 



222 NOTES. 

23. — known in the gates^ &c. This may mean that he is dis- 
tinguished by the richness of his dress, which his wife has pro- 
vided for him by her industry. Comp. Horn. Odys. vi. 60, &c. 
Or, that the husband is freed, by the industry and good management 
of his wife, from all cares but those of public business. 

24. — linen garments : probably a linen under-garment. Adam 
Clarke observes : — " Some such garments as these are still worn by 
ladies in India and China, and are so thin and transparent, that 
every part of the body may be seen through them. I have many 
representations of persons clothed in this way before me, both of 
the Chinese, the Hindoo, and the Malabar ladies." See also Gesen. 
ad verb. — girdles. Girdles were sometimes of so rich a texture 
as to be considered a valuable present. 

25. Strength and honor are her clothing : i. e. Her greatest orna- 
ments, however, are her strong and active mind, her honorable 
conduct, and her good name. — she laughs^ &c. : i. e. she lives 
in tranquillity of mind ; she has no concern about want or trouble 
in future time. 

26. — with wisdom : she is neither silent through ignorance or 
sullenness, nor yet full of vain and unprofitable gossip. Her con- 
versation is wise and instructive. — kind instruction : she is ever 
ready to give instruction or advice, and that not vv^ith the authority 
of a dictator, but with the affection of a friend. 

27. — ways of her household : she carefully oversees the domes- 
tics and laborers of her family, so that they shall have their allotted 
w^ork, and attend to it with diligence. — bread of idleness : i. e. 
gotten without labor. In connection with the preceding line, the 
sense may be, that her living is earned by her domestics, whom 
her activity stimulates to diligence. 

29. Many daughters : i. e. Many women. Comp. Gen. xxxiv. 
1, Ezek. XXX. 18. 

30. Grace : i. e. Gracefulness, elegance of form and manners. 
— deceitful: i. e. it disappoints expectation, being of short duration, 
or unable to give the permanent satisfaction which the husband 
promised himself from it. — vain : i. e. like a breath, a vapor, 
a mist, perishing, soon gone. 

31. — fruit of her hands : i.e. the praise which she has well 
earned by her labors. — the gates : i. e. the places of public con- 
course. 



NOTES 



ECCLESIASTES, 



1. The term Ecclesiastes is the Greek translation of the He- 
brew r\Srip Koheleth, which is the title of the book. The word 
Preacher conveys the meaning of the original as well as any Eng- 
lish term. The Greek rendering, Ecclesiastes, is the more literal, 
as the Hebrew noun is derived from a verb signifying to call to- 
gether, to assemble ; and the secondary meaning, preacher, comes 
from the purpose for which the assembly is called, namely, to be 
addressed. As no son of David was king at Jerusalem except 
Solomon, there can be no reasonable doubt that he is designated 
as the Preacher. 

In ch. i. 2-11, the Preacher announces the principal subject of 
his book, the vanity of human things, and illustrates it by the un- 
profitableness of human striving and labor, ver. 3; and by the in- 
stances of perpetual change and w^earisome vicissitude in the natural 
world, while nothing new is brought to pass, and no rest is attained. 
In endeavouring to illustrate the idea, that the mind of man receives 
no satisfaction from his labors and experiences, the writer seems to 
impart his own feelings to inanimate nature, and to represent it as 
wearying itself with incessant change, without effecting any thing 
new ; as it were, without satisfying itself, or gaining any thing by 
its labors. All is perpetual change, wearisome labor, and no rest. 
The sea is not made full by the streams, and the mind of man is 
not satisfied by all that he learns or enjoys in the world. 



224 NOTES. 

Knobel regards the reference to the sun, the wind, and the 
streams as designed to show the fruitlessness of human efforts in 
consequence of the unchangeableness of nature's operations, and 
the impossibility of man's altering what is fixed by an established 
law of nature. But the author seems to describe, not the constancy 
of nature, but of her changes. Besides, the mere constancy of out- 
ward nature does not seem to present a strong reason against hu- 
man striving in general ; but only against striving in opposition to 
natural laws. 

2. Mere vanity. I had some hesitation in regard to substituting 
this phrase for the well known Vanity of vanities, but the latter 
expression is a Hebraism which does not harmonize with the Eng- 
lish idiom, and to some persons does not convey a distinct idea. 

3. What profit : i. e. What advantage which can compensate 
him for his labor, and leave a balance in his favor. Or, what ad- 
vantage which he would not have had without anxious and labo- 
rious striving. 

4. One generation, &c. Some connect this verse with the pre- 
ceding one, supposing it to illustrate the vanity of human exertions, 
from the consideration that man at death must leave the results 
of them. It appears to me more natural to suppose that the writer 
adduces the fact of the continually changing generations of men as 
an illustration of the vanity of human things. 

7. — to the place, &c. : i. e. by subterraneous passages and chan- 
nels, or by evaporation and rain, they return to the fountains and 
streams. It is mentioned as an instance of the vanity of human 
things, that the waters, when they have arrived at the sea, where 
they had so much desired, as it were, to arrive, hasten back to their 
springs, where again they do not rest, but return again to the sea. 
" Thus all things in the world are movable and mutable, and sub- 
ject to a continual toil and toss, constant in nothing but inconstancy, 
still going, never resting." 

8. Ml words become weary. This is the most literal rendering, 
and most probable from the connection. Otherwise, Ml things 
are full of labor : All other things, as well as the sun, the wind, 
and the streams, are in perpetual motion and wearisome agitation. 
There is no rest to material things, and no satisfaction to the mind 
of man. 

9. The thing that has been, &c. The writer seems to regard it 
as an additional illustration of the vanity of human things, that, 
while there is perpetual change, there is no novelty ; that there is 



ECCLESIASTES. 225 

a perpetual recurrence of the same things. The passage seems to 
express the feeling of satiety and disgust with which human life is 
sometimes regarded. The following passage from Seneca, Epist. 
XXIV., is quoted by RosenmUller to illustrate these verses : — 
" Quosdam subit eadem faciendi videndique satietas, et vitae non 
odium, sed fastidium ; in quod prolabimur, ipsa impellente philo- 
sophia, dum dicimus : Quousque eadem ? Nempe expergiscar, dor- 
miam, satiabor, esuriam, algebo, aestuabo ; nullius rei finis est ; 
sed in orbem nexa sunt omnia ; fugiunt ac sequuntur. Diem nox 
premit, dies noctem ; aestas in autumnum desinit, autumno hyems 
instat, quae vere compescitur. Omnia transeunt, ut revertantur; 
nihil novi video ; nihil novi facio. Fit aliquando et hujus rei 
nausea. Multi sunt qui non acerbum judicent vivere, sed super- 
fluum." 

10. It has been, &c. : i. e. If any one supposes any thing which 
takes place to be new, he is deceived. For it certainly has oc- 
curred long before, 

11. — no remembrance. A reason seems to be assigned here 
why some esteem things new which are really old ; namely, igno- 
rance of ancient times, want of records of the past. 

12-18. Having illustrated his declaration, that all was vanity, by 
general arguments, drawn from the phenomena of the world, the 
author now represents Solomon as appealing to his own experience 
as an additional illustration of what he had said. And, first, from 
ver. 13 to the end of the chapter, he aims to show how vain and 
unsatisfactory is the pursuit and the acquisition of knowledge. 
The fame of Solomon for wisdom makes his example a striking 
illustration of the sentiment which it is brought to illustrate. 

13. — an evil business, &c. : i. e. a source of pain and vexation. 
Knowledge seems to be thus represented, 1. On account of the 
labor and weariness which attend its pursuit, ch. xii. 12; but, 2. 
chiefly, on account of the perplexing, imperfect, painful subjects of 
contemplation which it presents to the mind, ver. 14, 15. Dr. 
South, in his Sermon on the Evils of Knowledge, observes: — 
" Knowledge is the parent of sorrow from its very nature, as being 
the instrument and means by which the afflicting quality of the 
object is conveyed to the mind; for, as nothing delights, so nothing 
troubles, till it is known. The merchant is not troubled as soon as 
his ship is cast away, but as soon as he hears of it. The afifairs 
and objects that we converse with have most of them a fitness to 
afflict and disturb the mind. And, as the colors lie dormant and 



226 NOTES. 

strike not the eye, till the light actuates them into a visibility, so 
those afflictive qualities never exert their sting, till knowledge dis- 
plays them, and slides them into the apprehension." But if good 
predominates over evil in the universe, (and who can doubt it ?) 
then knowledge, regarded in this light, must be the source of more 
pleasure than pain. 

14. — all the things, &c. : i. e. I saw that all human pursuits, 
all the business in which men engage, and all the objects from 
which they expect happiness, were vain, unsubstantial, incapable of 
yielding satisfaction to the mind. In fact, the desire and endeavour 
to catch and possess something so intangible and unsubstantial as 
air represent the vanity of human actions and pursuits. — striv- 
ing after wind. This rendering is preferred by Gesenius, De Wette, 
Rosenmiiller, and Knobel. Comp. ver. 17, and in the Hebrew, 
eh. ii. 22, iv. 16. 

15. The design of the proverbial expressions in this verse seems 
to be to assign a reason why human striving should be vain, and 
human pursuits should be so incapable of affording satisfaction ; 
namel}^, the perverseness of human nature, and the imperfections of 
human things. As that which is by nature crooked cannot by hu- 
man endeavours be straightened ; as the vine, for instance, cannot 
be made to grow up straight, like the poplar ; and as that which is 
naturally wanting to any thing cannot be supplied by human exer- 
tion ; for instance, as man cannot be made to possess wings, like a 
bird, or more than two hands or tw^o feet ; so there are incongrui- 
ties, discords, imperfections in human life and the course of hu- 
man things, which are irremediable, and render it impossible for 
man to find complete satisfaction. Hence, the knowledge of the 
things that are done under the sun gives pain. 

17. — senselessness and folly : i. e. to observe senseless and 
foolish conduct, and its consequences. 

18. See the note on ver. 13. Henry closes his notes upon 
this chapter with the following good remark : — " Let us not be 
driven off from the pursuit of any useful knowledge, but put on 
patience to break through the sorrow of it } yet let us despair of 
finding true happiness in this knowledge, and expect it only in the 
knowledge of God, and the careful discharge of our duty to him. 
He that increases in heavenly wisdom, and in an experimental 
acquaintance with the principles, powers, and pleasures of the 
spiritual and divine life, increases joy, such as will shortly be con- 
summated in everlasting joy." 



ECCLESIASTES. 227 

Ch. II. 1-26. Not having found happiness or the chief good in 
the pursuit and acquisition of knowledge, Solomon is represented 
in this chapter as seeking it in the pleasures of sense, united with 
the pursuits of knowledge or philosophy. The result of this pur- 
suit, 1-11. He then compares wisdom and folly, and, while as- 
serting the infinite superiority of the former, yet perceives its insuf- 
ficiency in regard to the attainment of happiness. For the wise 
man and the fool have a common lot, and a fool often enjoys that 
for w^hich a wise man fatigues himself, 12 - 23. He tben recom- 
mends the tranquil, contented, cheerful enjoyment of life's blessings, 
without anxiety and care about distant objects and perplexing sub- 
jects, 24-26. 

2. It is mad : i. e. It is an indication of madness ; more appro- 
priate to a madman than to a rational being. — JVliat avails it f 
i. e. What good does it do ^ What happiness does it confer ? At 
first view, there may appear some inconsistency between this and 
ver. 24. But here the author is speaking of the pleasure which is 
pursued and striven for ; but in ver. 24, of that which comes un- 
sought. 

3. — while my heart cleaved to wisdom. Comp. ver. 9. Some 
suppose the meaning to be, that he was wise in the choice of pleas- 
ures, and in the degree to which he pursued them. I rather think 
the meaning to be, that he united the pursuits of wisdom or philoso- 
phy with those of sensual pleasure. — see what was good, &c. : 
i. e. till I should find out by trial whether that supreme good which 
men ought to propose to themselves and prosecute in life consisted 
in the pleasures of sense ; i. e. in pleasures derived from objects 
addressed to the senses. 

6. — pools of water. "At about an hour's distance to the south 
of Bethlehem are the pools of Solomon. They are three in num- 
ber, of an oblong figure, and are supported by abutments. The 
antiquity of their appearance entitles them. Dr. Richardson thinks, 
to be considered as the work of the Jewish monaroh." Modern 
Traveller. See more in Bush's Illustrations, ad loc. Maundrell 
observes : — "As to the pools, it is probable enough they may be 
the same with Solomon's ; there not being the like store of ex- 
cellent spring-water to be met with anywhere else throughout all 
Palestine. But for the gardens, one may safely affirm, that, if Solo- 
mon made them in the rocky ground which is now assigned for 
them, he demonstrated greater power and wealth in finishing his 
design, than he did wisdom in choosing the place for it." Travels, 



228 NOTES. 

p. 151, Amer. edit. — the grove that produces trees: young plan- 
tations, or perhaps nurseries, may be intended. 

8. — a chosen woman, and chosen tcomen. The words thus ren- 
dered do not elsewhere occur. From their probable derivation, as 
well as from the circumstance that the harem is nowhere alluded 
to as a source of pleasure, if not here, we think we have given the 
words their true meaning. The singular probably refers to the 
queen, and the plural to the king's other wives and his concubines. 
See Geseft. ad verb ni^*. 

10. — my portion, &c : i. e. the present temporary enjoyment 
of them was all the benefit I could expect or receive from all my 
labors. There was no permanent, abiding good. 

11. All that he did was performed with labor and was preserved 
with anxiety, and, above all, the pleasure arising from it was transi- 
tory. An aching void was left in his mind. After the freest en- 
joyment of what is called pleasure, he felt the inward thirst and 
torment still. 

12. Having tried what satisfaction was to be found, first in 
knowledge, and then in the pleasures of sense, he here compares 
these two sources of happiness one with another, and passes judg- 
ment upon them. — comes after the king : i. e. succeeds me in 
this inquiry or trial respecting happiness. No mere private man can 
be expected to have a larger experience than so great a king, or be 
better able to form a judgment respecting the subject of which he 
is treating. — already done, i. e. in the way of experience and 
discovery as to what is true good. 

14. — in his head: where they ought to be, in order that he 
may guard against danger, or foresee advantages. The eyes of the 
fool are, as it were, in his heels, or in the ends of the earth, Prov. 
xvii. 24, so that he is likely to stumble, or fail of advantages. 
— one event, &c. : i. e. both are subject to many of the same 
calamities, and especially to death and oblivion. 

15. — wiser than others : i. e. to what purpose have I taken so 
much pains to acquire wisdom. — This, also, is vanity : i. e. Al- 
though wisdom excels folly, yet it is liable to the charge of vanity, 
since it has no power to secure its possessor from many of the 
calamities to which the fool is subject. 

18, — leave it : i. e. what was obtained by my labor, my pos- 
sessions. 

24. — to eat, and drink, and let his soul enjoy good in his labor. 
The drift and meaning of this language is very diflferent from that 



ECCLESIASTES. 229 

of ch. ii. 1, &c. It is no Epicurean indulgence, no addiction to the 
mere pleasures of sense, which the author here pronounces to be 
the best course a man can pursue in order to make the best of a 
vain world. But, in opposition to the anxious and strenuous pur- 
suit of wisdom, or pleasure, or wealth, he advises to give up anxious 
cares for distant objects, and about perplexing subjects, and to enjoy, 
with a tranquil, contented, cheerful mind, the blessings of life, as he 
goes along. And this tranquil, contented, cheerful spirit, he says, 
is the gift of God, i. e. " to those who are good in his sight " ; 
ver. 26 ; i. e. it cannot be had without religion and virtue. This 
is an important sentiment of this book, and recurs repeatedly as the 
result of the author's meditations upon life. See ch. iii. 12, 13, 
22, V. 18-20, vii. 14, viii. 15, ix. 7-10, xi. 9. From a compari- 
son of these passages, together with ch. v. 1 - 7, and the whole of 
ch. xii., it is manifest that it is not sensual or selfish indulgence 
which the author commends as the best thing which a man can 
attain in a world of vanity, but only such a cheerful, joyful partici- 
pation of present blessings as is consistent with the thought of 
God and retribution, or with obedience to the commands of the 
Creator. The cheerfulness and the joy which he commends is in 
opposition to anxious cares about the future, or about unavoidable 
evils, or to the ambitious, eager pursuit of distant good. 

25. For who has banqueted more, &c. The meaning seems to 
be, that Solomon, from his large experience, could tell as well as 
any one whether the tranquil enjoyment of the greatest outward 
blessings did, or did not, come from the hand of God ; whether 
those who were not "good in his sight" could have such en- 
joyment. 

26. For — God gives, &c. " For this is a blessing which God 
reserves for him whom he loves ; whose sincere piety he rewards 
with wisdom to judge when, and with knowledge to understand 
how, he should enjoy and take the comfort of all that he hath ; 
especially with inward joy, satisfaction of heart, and tranquillity of 
mind, in this favor of God to him, whereby the troublesome affairs 
of this life are tempered and seasoned ; but he delivers up him that 
regards not God to the most cruel tormentors, which are his un- 
satiable desires and anxious cares, with busy labors and incessant 
pains to increase his estate without end, and to heap up vast treas- 
ures, which God disposes afterward to those who approve them- 
selves to him in a pious, just, and charitable life, with contented 

20 



230 NOTES. 

minds." Patrick. — This^ also, is vanity : i. e. to the sinner, ta 
get riches for those for whom he never designed them. 

Ch. III. 1-15. The design of this passage seems to be to show 
the vanity of human efforts and anxieties respecting the future, 
in consequence of the fixed course and established, unavoidable 
changes of human things. A higher power than man's controls 
human efforts and destinies. Hence, a quiet enjoyment of life is 
recommended as true wisdom. See p. 90. 

1. — a fixed period^ &c. I have altered the translation of 
this and the following verses, because the common version, though 
more smooth, conveys to many readers the idea of a fit sea- 
son, an appropriate time, when men may and ought to do the 
things therein mentioned, and which, if neglected, will not again 
recur. But this meaning will not apply to several of the subjects 
which are enumerated in the following verses. The author is 
speaking, I conceive, not of a fit time, an appropriate^ opportune 
season, but of a necessary change, a period that must recur. The 
thought is somewhat similar to that which is contained in the 
proverbial expression, that " all things have their day.'' 

3. Killing has its time. In ver. 1, natural death was spoken of; 
here, that which comes by violence, as by robbers, assassins, or by 
course of law, or by accident. — Breaking down, &c. At one 
time buildings are destroyed in war, or by hurricanes, floods, or 
conflagrations ; at another, new edifices are erected in their place. 

4. Weeping.^ &c. There are changes in life, such as sickness, 
loss of relations, &c., moving us to tears, which are succeeded by 
others effacing the memory of trouble and leading to joy. — Mourn- 
ing, &c. This may be distinguished from weeping, as being a 
formal, public expression of grief, as dancing is of joy. 

5. — casting stones asunder : as in the case of edifices, fortifi- 
cations, &c., which fall into ruin ; or they are brought together for 
building new walls, &c. — Embracing, &c. : i. e. a time when 
we embrace our friends after a long absence, and a time when they 
are again absent from us. Or, possibly, a time when we live in 
friendship with any one, and a time when, by change of pursuits or 
character, we become estranged from him. 

6. — keeping, &c. : i. e. from attachment to the object, or ex- 
pectation of benefit from it. — casting away: i. e. as worthless. 

7. — rending : as in great and sudden grief, as Gen. xxxvii. 29, 
Joel ii. 13. — sewing: i. e. when the grief is over; or, perhaps, 



ECCLESIASTES. 231 

making new garments on some occasion of joy. — Silence : when 
men will keep silence through grief, sickness, &c. 

8. — lomng. Love is often followed by hatred. 

9. What profit, &c. What can his utmost efforts to obtain good 
or avoid evil avail, while there is such a system of vicissitude and 
change by the appointment of Providence ? 

10. — the labor : i. e. the labor of the human mind in endeav- 
ouring to explore the ways of God in the government of the world, 
and the appointment of the various vicissitudes of human life. 

11. — makes every thing good in its time. The meaning seems 
to be, that every thing which takes place in the course of provi- 
dence, by divine appointment or permission, is right, so that, all 
things considered, it could not have been done better, ver. 14 ; 
and would appear so, if viewed in relation to its season, tendencies, 
and relations : 

" And spite of pride, in erring reason's spite, 
One truth is clear, whatever is is right." 

— but. For this use of the Hebrew particle, see ch. iv. 16. — but 
he has put the world into the heart of man, so that he understands 
not, &c. The translation and interpretation of this passage are 
attended with much difficulty ; first, on account of the ambiguity of 
the Hebrew term dSj,^, rendered world, and, secondly, on ac- 
count of the Hebrew negative particles ; whether both have their 
separate force, or whether they unite their force to form one nega- 
tive. The Hebrew term, in all other instances in which it occurs 
in the Scriptures, denotes duration, indefinite duration, whether 
past or future, and sometimes eternal duration ; but in the Chaldee 
and Rabbinic usage, the world, worldly things, like the Greek atcov, 
in Eph. ii. 2, and elsewhere ; i. e. things which exist in a given 
period of duration, more or less definite. If we suppose this ren- 
dering correct, and that there is but one negation in the sentence, 
according to the common version, which I follow, the meaning 
will be, that, according to the same idiom by which he is said to 
harden the heart of Pharaoh, God has put the cares, or the love, 
of the world into the hearts of men, so that they cannot discern the 
propriety and the beautiful harmony of his dispensations, and can- 
not discern the whole that he does in his providence from begin- 
ning to end, but only a part of it. Others give to the term dSj7 
a signification more nearly allied to the common meaning, and ren- 
der the passage, ^nd God hath put futurity or duration into the 



232 NOTES. 

heart of man ; i. e. the capacity of looking back upon the past, and 
forward into the future, except that he cannot understand the work 
which God doeth from the beginning to the end : i. e. God has 
given man the capacity of looking back upon the past and forward 
into the future, but not in such a measure or degree that he can 
understand the work of God from beginning to end. The main 
design of the passage, whichever explanation is adopted, is illus- 
trated by ch. viii. 17 : " Then I saw the whole work of God, that 
a man cannot comprehend that which takes place under the sun ; 
how much soever he labor to search it out, yet shall he not com- 
prehend it ; yea, though a wise man resolve to know it, yet shall 
he not be able to comprehend it." 

12. — enjoy good. Comp. ch. ii. 24, and the note. 

13. — gift of God : i. e. " to him that is good in his sight." 
See the note on ch. ii. 24. 

14. — whatever God does. The context seems to require this 
to be understood as referring to the course of things under the 
divine government, rather than to the works of creation. It sets 
forth the perfection and uniformity of his conduct in the govern- 
ment of the world. — for ever : i. e. is unalterable. Patrick has 
given a good paraphrase of the verse : — "It is not only very 
foolish and vain, but a great plague, to be discontented that things 
go otherwise than we desire ; for certain it is, God hath settled 
them by such an eternal and immutable law, in that course and 
order before described, ver. 1-3, &c., in which nothing is super- 
fluous, nothing wanting, that it is not in the power of man to make 
the least alteration one way or other ; therefore we must alter 
ourselves, and not murmur that we cannot change the course of 
things, which God hath thus immovably fixed, not to make us mis- 
erable, by fretting at it, but happy, by reverent submission to the 
divine government, and humble patience under those troubles 
which we cannot honestly avoid, and a due care not to offend the 
divine majesty, whose will shall be done, one way or other, if not 
by us, yet upon us." 

15. — recalls that which is past : i. e. he repeats it ; makes the 
future resemble the past, and substantially the same with it, so that 
there shall be "nothing new under the sun." "This alone is 
sufficient to silence all our unprofitable, as well as undutiful, com- 
plaints about that which hath always been and ever will be. For 
we, in this present age, are subject to no other laws than those by 
which God hath governed the world from the beginning ; nor will 



ECCLESIASTES. 233 

the next produce any other method than that wherein he hath al- 
ready proceeded ; but, though that which succeeds thrusts out what 
went before, it brings the very same things about again, as con- 
stantly as spring and fall, summer and winter, return in their sea- 
sons." Patrick. 

16-22. The vanity of human things is illustrated in this pas- 
sage from the prevalence of injustice, and the resemblance of men 
to brutes in respect to hardships and death. Hence the usual in- 
ference of the writer, that man should lead a quiet, cheerful life, 
without anxiety concerning the unknown future. 

16. ■ — in the place of justice : i. e. where justice ought specially 
to be, where rulers or judges professed to administer justice. The 
meaning may, however, be more general, referring to justice be- 
tween man and man. The fact to which he refers seems to be 
introduced as a new instance of the vanity of human things. 

17. For there : i. e. when God shall bring every work into 
judgment, and every secret thing. Ch. xii. 14, xi. 9, Dan. vii. 9, 
10, Job xix. 29. It is a question, whether the judgment or retri- 
bution here spoken of was expected by the writer to take place in 
the present or in the future world. From the context, ver. 18 — 
21, and from other passages in the book, I think it most probable 
that the present life was exclusively in his view. The passage 
in Daniel, above referred to, is a good illustration of a time of 
judgment; for undoubtedly it relates to a judgment in the pres- 
ent w^orld. So the book of Job, ch. xix. 29, contains mention of a 
judgment, although the plan and the contents of that work exclude 
the idea of a retribution after death. If the Preacher had held a 
belief in a state of retribution after death, his faith must have been 
manifested in other parts of the work, and applied to the solution 
of the doubts and difficulties relating to the course of human things 
which perplexed him. "Life and immortality were brought to 
light by the gospel." The phrase, will judge the righteous and the 
wicked^ means will acquit and deliver the righteous, and condemn 
and punish the wicked. 

19. — one spirit in them: i. e. the spirit of life. Comp. ch. 
viii. 8, xii. 7, Judges xv. 19, 1 Sam. xxx. 12, Ezek. xxxvii. 8, Hab. 
ii. 19. Sometimes this vital spirit is called the spirit or breath of 
God, as having been imparted by him, breathed by him into the 
nostrils of men, and as returning to him again. See Job xxvii. 3. 
In Job xxxiv. 14, he is said to take back his spirit, when men die. 
Comp. Ps. civ. 29, 30. From a comparison of the preceding refer- 

20* 



234 NOTES. 

ences, it will appear, that, according to Hebrew usage, the return 
of the spirit to God denotes simply death, and not a return to a 
state of happy existence with God after death. 

21. — whether it goes upward, &c. This is the rendering of 
the Septuagint and all the ancient versions, as also of Luther, and 
appears to agree better with the Hebrew idiom, and with the con- 
nection, than that of the common version. The term spirit in this 
verse is the same in the original as in verse 19, where it is said 
that one spirit is in men and brutes. In both cases I understand it 
as denoting the animal or vital spirit It seems to me improbable, 
that, in a sentence so closely connected with verse 19, there should 
be any change in the meaning of the term spirit, especially as it is 
here applied to brutes as well as to men, and as the spirit of all 
mankind, the bad as well as the good, seems to be spoken of in 
comparison with that of brutes. The Preacher seems to me to ex- 
press a doubt whether man, whom he represents to be like the 
brutes in many respects, differs from them in this, that the spirit of 
men ascends upward, or returns to God, and that of brutes goes 
downward, or mingles with dust. I do not understand him to 
refer to the personal, conscious immortality of either ; for, in verse 
19, he says, " One lot befalls both. As the one dies, so dies the 
other. Yea, there is one spirit in them, and a man has no pre- 
eminence above a beast." The doubt is, whether the vital spirit 
of man is more honorably disposed of after death than that of a 
brute. In ch. xii. 7, it is true, he positively affirms that the 
spirit of man " returns to God." But it is not very probable that 
he doubts here what he affirms there. The doubt is, whether any 
different disposition is made of the soul of a man and that of a 
brute ; whether the latter may not go upward as well as the former. 
The foregoing exposition of the passage seems to be confirmed by 
the inference which is drawn from it in verse 22. If the writer 
had believed that man was distinguished from beasts by a destiny 
to an immortal conscious existence, and to a state of righteous retri- 
bution, and had, as many suppose, intended to express his surprise 
that so few regarded, as the writer did, the different destiny of the 
spirits of men and brutes, would his inference from the passage 
have been exactly what it is in verse 22 ? Is not this inference 
rather drawn from what the writer considers as the resemblance of 
man to the brutes in all the points in which he compares them .'' 
It ought not to appear strange to any one, that the writer did not 
believe in doctrines which had never been revealed to him, or to 



ECCLESIASTES. 235 

his countrymen. The other mode of understanding the verse is 
expressed in the paraphrase of Patrick. " As for the spirit, which 
makes all the difference between the beasts and us, that is invisi- 
ble ; and where shall we find a man, especially among those great 
persons spoken of before, who seriously considers it, and believes 
that the souls of all mankind go to God that gave them, to be 
judged by him, whereas the souls of beasts perish with them ? " 
If we were to allow that who knows may here denote who considers 
or regards, the verse as thus expounded seems to be quite incon- 
sistent with the writer's train of thought. See the note on ch. 
xii. 7. 

22. And, therefore, considering that such is the vanity of human 
life, and that man in his condition and his end so much resembles 
the brutes, " I was confirmed in my former opinion," ch. ii. 24, 
" that it is best for a man herein also to imitate the beasts ; by en- 
joying freely the good things God has blessed him withal, and 
taking all the comfort he can find in them at present, without 
solicitous care about the future ; for this is all he can be sure of; 
he shall not enjoy that hereafter which he makes no use of now ; 
much less, when he is dead, can he be brought back again to take 
any pleasure in the fruit of all his labors, or see what becomes of 
them." Patrick. See the note on ch. ii. 24. 

Ch. IV. In this chapter the author goes on to illustrate the 
vanity of human things, or the obstacles which prevent a tranquil 
and happy life, by referring to the suff*erings of the oppressed ; to 
the envy which is excited towards the prosperous ; to the evils of 
avarice and of solitude ; and those which attend royalty, arising 
from the infirmities of its possessor and the fickleness of the people. 

1. Then I turned: i. e. from the preceding subject of contem- 
plation and remark to that which follows. 

2, 3. Comp. Job iii. 11-23. 

4. This, also, is vanity : namely, that an industrious and suc- 
cessful man should meet with envy and obloquy instead of good- 
will and applause. 

5. — eats his own jiesh. This may mean that the fool is so 
tormented with envy, that he is, as it were, consumed, or devoured 
by it. So, ov -d^vfiibv xariScDv, Hom. II. vi. 202; Quisnam illic 
homo est, qui ipsus se comest, tristis, oculis malis .'' Plant. Trucul. 
ii. 7, 36. Gesenius observes that such a man is called by the 
Arabs a devourer of himself. But he does not, as he ought, pro- 



236 NOTES. 

duce the proof of this assertion. Another meaning of the verse 
may be, that the fool, perceiving that diligence is attended with 
envy, goes to the opposite extreme of folding his hands and doing 
nothing, and thus is reduced to such poverty, that he is ready to 
eat his own flesh through extremity of hunger. This seems better 
suited to the connection. 

6. Better^ &c. : i. e. in reference to ver. 4, " Better is a moderate 
estate, gotten honestly with moderate diligence, and enjoyed hand- 
somely with perfect contentment, than the greatest treasures, gotten 
by oppression or with infinite toil, and enjoyed with anxious 
thoughts and fretting cares, and exposing a man either to the hatred 
or the envy of others." Patrick. 

7 — 12. In these verses is described the vanity of avarice, espe- 
cially in one who lives in solitude, and has no near friend to whom 
he may leave his wealth. The state of solitude is then contrasted 
with the advantages of social and married life. 

9. — good reward: i. e. profitable results. By mutual counsel 
and assistance they effect much more than they could separately. 

12. — threefold cord, &c. No more than a bundle of arrows or 
sticks ; though each single thread, arrow, or stick may easily be 
broken. 

13. Better, &c. The author draws a new illustration of the 
vanity of human life from the contempt of royalty, when mental 
vigor is wanting in the possessor of it, and from the general uncer- 
tainty and inconstancy of popular favor towards kings. 

14. — out of prison: i. e. from a very low condition, as was 
not uncommon in the despotisms of the East, and has not been un- 
common in modern times. — such a one : i. e. one poor but wise. 

15. — with the child : i. e. following him, paying their court to 
him, worshipping the rising rather than the setting sun. 

16. — went forth : i. e. as a leader. — not rejoice in him: i. e. 
by reason of the love of novelty, the flattery of human hopes, and 
other circumstances, they will be as weary of the successor, though 
a wise and worthy prince, as their parents were of his foolish 
predecessor. 

Ch. v.- XII. The remainder of the book is chiefly preceptive, 
rather than speculative. The author seems to be giving his advice 
as to the way in which Xve may best pass through the life of vanity 
which he has described. See p. 90. 

1. Look well to thy feet, &c. : i. e. Walk circumspectly. Make 



ECCLESIASTES. 237 

sure and straight steps. Engage in the services of religion with 
attention, seriousness, deliberation, and sincerity. The metaphor 
seems to be drawn from the condition of one who is walking in a 
very slippery path, in which more than ordinary care is necessary 
to keep him from falling. The expression will thus be similar to 
that of taking heed to one's ways. Some, however, suppose the 
metaphor to be drawn from the impropriety of entering the houses 
of the great with dirty feet. Others, from the practice of putting 
off the shoes on entering a sacred place. — to hear. To hear is 
often used in the sense of to obey. See 1 Sam. xv. 22. In this 
place, it denotes to obey the law which is read, rather than simply 
to hear it, though the latter is implied. — like fools : who offer 
splendid oblations, instead of ceasing to do evil and learning to do 
well, and as substitutes of piety and obedience. 

2. — words he few. As you would not, if admitted to the pres- 
ence of a king, use many words, words which are not weighed and 
chosen, much less should you multiply words, without care, thought, 
and reverence, in the presence of him who is higher than the 
highest. 

3. — with a multitude of matters. This rendering of the verse 
is strictly literal, and the meaning is, that, as a dream is attended 
with, sets forth, or brings forward, many vain and trifling matters, so 
a fool utters many vain and trifling words. Comp. ver. 7. The 
objection to the common version is, 1. That it requires too much to 
be supplied ; and, 2. That it neglects the studied antithesis of the 
original. It makes business the cause of the dream ; but the multi- 
tude of words is not the cause, but the consequence, of folly. In 
the Hebrew idiom, to come with is often used to denote to bring 
forward^ to set forth. Ps. Ixvi. 13, Ixxi. 16, where I will come with 
thy mighty deeds, means, / will set forth, celebrate, thy mighty 
deeds. 

4. 5. Comp. Numb. xxx. 2, &c., Deut. xxiii. 21, 22. 

6. — thy flesh : i. e. thy weaker part, thyself considered as frail. 
— to sin : i. e. by refusing the self-denial which the vow uttered 
by the mouth requires. — before the angel : probably before the 
priest, regarded as the messenger of God, the announcer of his 
will. See Mai. ii. 7. It may be, however, that there is reference 
to some angel, supposed to preside over the Temple. See Christian 
Examiner, for Nov. 1838, pp. 210, 211. — It was a mistake : i. e. 
I made a mistake ; I acted foolishly and inconsiderately in making 
such a vow, and therefore hope God will excuse me from paying it. 



238 NOTES. 

— the work of thy hands : i. e. the product of the work of thy 
hands, thy estate. 

7. — fear thou God : i. e. manifest thy fear of God by abstain- 
ing from rash and inconsiderate vows. 

8. — alarmed at the matter : as though injustice would be finally 
triumphant, and sentence would never be executed against the 
evil work. — a, higher^ who watches : i. e. over subordinate magis- 
trates there is a higher, or the king, who will call them to account; 
and over them all is God, who will bring every work of the king, 
as well as of the subject, into judgment. 

9. — honored by the land. This rendering of a very difficult 
passage is adopted by Gesenius, De Wette, and Knobel. The 
writer, having intimated in the preceding verse that oppression 
would be likely to meet with punishment, is naturally led to speak 
of the advantage to a state of having a king so wise and just, that 
oppression by subordinate magistrates would seldom occur, when 
the king was honored by the land, i. e. the inhabitants. It is not im- 
probable, that there is a play upon the term l!nj.\4, honored, which 
can be expressed better in Latin than in English. It is said to be 
a great advantage to a country, cum ager, qui alibi colitur, colit 
regem. 

11. — that eat them. "The more meat, the more mouths. The 
more men have, the better house they must keep ; the more ser- 
vants employ, the more guests entertain ; the more give to the poor, 
and the more will they have hanging on them ; for where the car- 
cass is, the eagles will be. What we have more than food and 
raiment, we have for others ; and then what good is there to the 
owners themselves, but the pleasure of beholding them with their 
eyes.? And a poor pleasure it is ; an empty speculation is all the 
difference between the owners and the sharers." Henry. 

"P. What riches give us, let us then inquire ; 

Meat, fire, and clothes. B. What more ? P. Meat, clothes, and fire. 

Is this too little .'* would you more than live ? " 

Pope's Moral Essays, Epist. iii. 79. 

" Congestis undique saccis 

Indormis inhians, et tanquam parcere sacris 
Cogeris, aut pictis tanquam gaudere tabellis." 

Hor. Sat. i. 1, 70. 

" On every side the numerous bags are piled. 
Whose hallowed stores must never be defiled 



ECCLESIASTES. 239 

To human use; while you transported gaze, 

As if, like pictures, they were formed to please." 

12. — repletion : i. e. of his stomach with various delicacies, 
more than can be digested. Some, however, understand abund- 
ance of wealth, which brings cares and fears. 

" An vigilare metu exanimem, noctesque diesque 
Formidare malos fures, incendia, servos, 
Ne te compilent fugientes; hoc juvat.'' horum 
Semper ego opt^rim pauperrimus esse bonorum.*^' Id. 76. 

" But, with continual watching almost dead. 
House-breaking thieves, and midnight fires to dread. 
Or the suspected slave's untimely flight 
With the dear pelf; if this be thy delight, 
Be it my fate, so Heaven in bounty please. 
Still to be poor of blessings such as these." 

Francis's Translation. 

13. — to his hurt : by exposing him to danger from thieves, as 
represented in the last quotation from Horace ; or, by causing men- 
tal distress when he loses them, as described in the next verse. 

14. — in his hand. There seems to be no consideration which 
decides conclusively whether his refers to the father, who by ca- 
lamity is deprived of the power of leaving any thing to the son for 
whom he endured all his labors, or whether it refers to the son, 
who has nothing in his possession after his father's death. I in- 
cline to the former supposition. 

15. These things, indeed, do not always happen ; but it is at 
least certain, that, though he die possessed of all that he has ac- 
quired, yet he cannot carry one farthing away with him. See Job 
i. 21, 1 Tim. vi. 7. So Propertius, L. iii. Eleg. 3. vs. 13, 14 : — 

" Haud ullas portabis opes Acherontis ad undas, 
Nudus ab inferna, stulte, vehere rate." 

16. — for wind: i. e. for riches, which are empty and unsatis- 
fying, uncertain and transitory, which no man can retain more 
than he can wind. Comp. Prov. xxiii. 5. 

17. — he ate in darkness : i. e. lived in disquietude, vexation, 
and fear. 

18. See the note on ch. ii. 24. — his portion : i. e. the use 
and enjoyment of one's possessions is all that can be truly called 
his own ; all the good which he can receive from them. 



240 NOTES. 

19. — gift of God : i. e. to the good man. See ch. ii. 26. 

20. — thinks not much, &c. He does not torment himself with 
useless grief about the past misfortunes of his life, which he cannot 
remedy, nor with vain anxiety about future ones, which he cannot 
avoid. — answers him with : i. e. bestows upon him joy, as it 
were, in answer to his desires. 

Ch. VI. 1-6. The folly and misery of avarice ; of hoarding 
without enjoying or using. 

1. — Crod gives him not to taste, &c. : on account of his 
avaricious mind, his temper ever anxious about the future, his dis- 
position to neglect the present use and enjoyment of his wealth. 

3. — his soul be not satisfied with good: i. e. if he have not a 
cheerful, contented mind, if he do not enjoy his property, &c. 
— and he have no burial : either because the strangers to whom his 
property is left have grudged him the expense of a decent burial, 
or because he has died in foreign lands, or drowned in a foreign 
sea, whither he had gone in quest of wealth. How much impor- 
tance the Hebrews attached to a decent burial appears from Is. xiv. 
19, 20, Job xxvii. 19, Ps. Ixxix. 2. 

4. — comes in vanity : i. e. the abortion comes vainly, to no 
purpose. — goes down into darkness : i. e. is immediately buried, 
put out of sight. — its name is covered, &c. : i. e. no mention is 
made of it. 

6. — and see no good, &c. : i. e. enjoy no good, have no enjoy- 
ment of the good things of life. — to one place : i. e. the grave. 
And if they who live long have no enjoyment of life, it follows 
that they who die soonest have the most rest. " Omnes eodem 
cogimur." Hor. Carm. ii. 3, 25. 

" Serius aut citius sedem properamus ad unam ; 
Tendimus hue omnes ; hsec est domus ultima." 

Ovid. Metam. x. 33, 34. 

7. — for his mouth, &c. Although all that a man can get by 
his labors is food necessary for the support of life (see ch. v. 11, 
and the note), yet such is the vanity of the world and the folly of 
mankind, that the desires of men are insatiable. 

6. For what advantage, &c. The most natural meaning of this 
verse seems to be this. Since the support of life, or meat, clothes, 
and fire, is the chief advantage of wealth, what advantage has the 
wise man over the fool, or what advantage has the poor man who 



ECCLESIASTES. 241 

knows how to walk before the living, i. e. who is ingenious, enter- 
prising, knowing how to gain the favor of the rich, over the poor 
man who is destitute of these advantages, who does not know how 
to walk before the living ? For the most foolish, and the most 
ignorant and rude of the poor, can by the labor of their hands find 
bread to fill their mouths, &c. Others understand the particle 
no, what^ in the sense of how great. How great is the advantage 
of the wise man, who knows how to enjoy life, over the foolish, 
avaricious man ! So Rosenmtlller. Others, as Le Clerc, under- 
stand the particle in opposite senses in the two clauses of the 
verse. How little advantage has the wise man over the poor ! 
How great an advantage has the poor, who knows how to walk 
before the living, over him who does not ! Both these critics seem 
to me to give the particle a sense which it will hardly bear. 

9. — sight of the eyes, &c. : i. e. the enjoyment, the making 
the best, of what is present is better than the wandering of the soul 
after things at a distance, and affecting a variety of imaginary 
gratifications which usually end in vexation. 

10. — that has his name long been called. The meaning of this 
sentence is not very obvious. It seems, however, to intimate that 
the condition and fortunes of every man are known and appointed 
by the Almighty ; that they depend more upon an established 
course of things than upon his personal striving. Comp. ch. iii. 
1-9. Hence the folly of excessive exertion and anxiety. Others 
suppose the meaning to be, Man is frail, earthy, mortal, according 
to the name Mam, which God gave him when he formed him out 
of the dust; Adam being supposed to denote earth. Gen. ii. 7. 

11. — increase vanity, &c. Verses 11 and 12 seem to be added 
as a conclusion of all that he has said respecting the toil, care, 
and anxiety which what are called the good things of this life bring, 
with them. Comp. ver. 8, and the note. 

12. — after him under the sun : i. e. he knows not who shall 
possess his acquisitions, or whether the future owners of his pos- 
sessions will use or abuse them. Whence it follows that it is best 
for a man to live a tranquil, unambitious life, agreeably to verses 
7-9. 

Ch. VII. 1- VIII. 13. The design of this portion is to give cer- 
tain proverbs or precepts for the guidance, consolation, or support 
of men in their passage through the world, whose vanity he has 
described, and continues to set forth by incidental remarks. The 

21 



242 NOTES. 

general purport of these precepts is to inculcate the necessity of 
regulating our thoughts, dispositions, desires, even to an extent 
which may seem paradoxical to the mass of mankind, and conform- 
ing them to the course of things, or the appointments of the 
Creator. For precepts, just, comprehensive, and complete, having 
a certain resemblance to those of the Preacher, see the Sermon on 
the Mount. 

1. — precious perfume : such as was used in the East, as a part 
of personal comfort, elegance, and dress. " The custom of anoint- 
ing with oil or perfume was also common among the Greeks and 
Romans ; especially the anointing of guests at feasts and other 
entertainments." See Potter's Grec. Ant., Vol. II., p. 385; Adam's 
Rom. Ant., p. 144; Hor. Od. ii. 7, 11, iii. 29; Joseph. Ant., 
xix. 4, 1, and 9, 1 ; Iliad, xiv. 171. The same custom is still 
prevalent in the East. Tavernier says, that " among the Arabs 
olive-oil is regarded as a very agreeable present. When any one 
offers it to them, they immediately take off their turban and anoint 
their head, face, and beard, raising their eyes to heaven at the same 
time, and exclaiming, ' Thanks be to God.' " RosenmUl. A. (i. N. 
Morgenland, Vol. IV., p. 117. — day of one's death. Since life 
is so full of vexation and misery, it is a more desirable thing for a 
man to go out of it than to come into it, although it is the practice 
of almost all mankind to celebrate their own or children's birth- 
days with solemn feasts and rejoicings, and their deaths with all 
expressions of sorrow. Some suppose that it is to be understood 
from the preceding line, that the death of one who leaves a good 
name behind him is better, &c. It seems to me more agreeable to 
the spirit and tenor of the book to understand the declaration as 
universal in its application. Corap. ch. vi. 3-5. 

2. — for that : i. e. death. In Schultens' Anthologia, &c., is 
the following sentiment of an Arabic poet : — 

" When thou hearest lamentations for the dead, be there ! 
But if thou art invited to a feast, beware ! " 

See Ros. ad loc. 

4. The heart of the wise, &c. : even when their bodies are ab- 
sent. There is no inconsistency between this remark and those 
passages which inculcate the enjoyment of the present. Because 
by the enjoyment of the present the writer means not sensual or 
riotous pleasure, but the grateful use of the good which Heaven 
sends, in opposition to excessive striving and anxiety about the 
future. 



ECCLESIASTES. 243 

5. — song of fools : i. e. the music, songs, and jests of merry 
companions, which are commonly regarded as delightful. 

6. — crackling of thorns : which make a great noise and blaze, 
as if they would produce a mighty heat, but leave the water as cold 
as they found it. — laughter of a fool: i. e. quickly passing away, 
doing no good, but rather terminating in a sad silence. 

7. — the gain of oppression. From speaking of fools, the 
Preacher is led to a particular instance of folly, namely, the grasp- 
ing at unjust gain, bribes, &c., which take away from wise men 
their judgment and reason. Comp. Exod. xxiii. 8, Deut. xvi. 19, 
Prov. XV. 27. 

8. Better is the end. If this verse is connected in sense with 
the preceding, the meaning is, that the end of the practice of brib- 
ery will show that he that takes it is not a gainer by it. But 
as there is often no connection between one proverb and the pre- 
ceding, the meaning may be general, that we cannot judge well of 
things till they are brought to a conclusion. Some things which 
are pleasant and promising at first end in ruin ; and some things 
difficult and painful at first have a happy termination. — patient 
in spirit: who quietly waits for the end of things. — proud in 
spirit : pride being the chief cause of impatience. Or this last line 
may be understood more generally. 

9. — anger rests : i. e. dwells, has its abode; is ever at hand 
on all occasions. 

10. In this verse the Preacher condemns a querulous, repining 
spirit, which indulges itself in unavailing wishes that it had lived 
in what it regards the good old times, instead of accommodating 
itself to the present state of things. Perhaps complaints even 
against the Governor of the world may be referred to. This spirit 
has been common in all ages. Comp. Hor. Ars Poet. 173. 

" Difficilis, querulus, laudator temporis acti 
Se puero, censor castigatorque minorum." 

The notion of the superiority of former ages is still prevalent in the 
East. " The Hindoos have four ages, which nearly correspond 
with the golden, silver, brazen, and iron ages of the Western hea- 
then. In the first age, called Kretha, they say the corn sprang up 
spontaneously, and required no attention ; in the second, named 
Treatha, the justice of kings and the blessings of the righteous 
caused it to grow ; in the third, called Tuvara^ rain produced it ; 
but in this, the fourth age, called Kally^ many works have to be 



244 NOTES. 

done to cause it to grow. * Our fathers,' say they, ' had three har- 
vests in the year; the trees also gave an abundance of fruit. Where 
is now the cheapness of provisions ? tlie abundance of fish ? the 
fruitful flocks.^ the rivers of milk .? the plenty of water ? Where 
the pleasures ^ Where the docility of animals ? Where the right- 
eousness, the truth, and affection .'' Where the riches, the peace, the 
plenty ? Where the mighty men ? Where the chaste and beautiful 
mothers, with their fifteen or sixteen children .? Alas, alas ! they 
are all fled.' " Roberts's Illustrations, ad loc. 

11. — as goody Slc. : it is as desirable to possess wisdom as to 
inherit a fortune ; yea, even more so. — that see the sun : i. e. 
that live. 

12. — gives life, &c. : literally, vivifies : i. e. makes them flour- 
ishing, contented, happy. So the noun life is used in Proverbs 
iv. 22, 23, xii. 28, and many other places. " It marvellously sup- 
ports, revives, and comforts the souls of those who are owners of it, 
under all the evils which it could not help them by honest means 
to avoid." Patrick. 

13. From the praise of wisdom the Preacher passes to a principal 
exercise of it, namely, the contemplation of the providence of God. 
— the work of God : i. e. what God does : i. e. in the circumstances 
and events which we witness. We are instructed in this verse to 
regard our condition as appointed by God, and to suit our minds 
to it; for we cannot bring things to our minds, and therefore it is 
best to strive to conform our minds to our condition, whether it be 
one of prosperity or adversity. 

14. — be joyful. See the note on ch. ii. 24. — look for a day 
of adversity. So I translate, because I doubt whether the verb 
nx^, which literally means to see, can be used to denote what we 
understand by the term consider. It would be against the author's 
views to recommend anxiety about the future, but it is not anxiety 
to remember in the day of prosperity that it may not always last. 
We are the better prepared to endure the storm when it comes, if 
we remember that sooner or later it will come to all. — what 
shall befall him in the future : i. e. God has ordained that prosperity 
and adversity shall succeed each other in the course of men's lives, 
so that they cannot foresee what shall happen to them in the fu- 
ture, and thus may live in constant dependence upon God, and 
submission to his will. 

15. Ml this: i. e. All that I have mentioned, and am about to 
mention. — my days of vanity: i. e. my vain life. — in their 



ECCLESIASTES. 245 

righteousness : or, hy their righteousness. The meaning assigned 
to verses 15, 16, and 17, by Patrick, in his paraphrase, seems to 
me as probable as any: — ** It seems very hard that a just man's 
integrity should not be able to preserve him, but he is therefore 
perhaps destroyed because he is better than others, when a wicked 
man escapes, nay, is countenanced and encouraged, or suffered to 
prolong his days in (and perhaps by) his wickedness. But, besides 
other things which may be replied to this (as that good men are 
sometimes removed from, and wicked reserved unto, future evils), 
it must be noted, also, that some pious men are more strict and 
rigid than they need be, and not so prudent as they ought to be, 
but unnecessarily expose themselves to danger : And, therefore, it 
is good advice, in order to a safe and quiet passage through this 
life, to be temperate in thy zeal, and not to overdo, either by ex- 
tending thy own duty beyond the divine commandment, or by cor- 
recting the inveterate vices of others, and opposing the vulgar 
opinions too severely or unseasonably, whereby they are only ex- 
asperated and enraged, but not at all amended ; for why should a 
man bring a mischief upon himself without any benefit unto others? 
And, on the other side, let not impunity tempt any man to presume 
to grow so enormously wicked and foolish, as to embrace and fol- 
low the lewdest opinions ; for this may awaken the public justice 
against him, even for the common safety ; or the divine vengeance, 
nay, his own excessive wickedness, may cut him off before he 
come to the natural term of his life." Rosenmuller supposes these 
precepts to have particular reference to judges and rulers in the 
administration of laws. But this supposition does not seem to be 
supported by verse 17. 

18. — take hold of this : \. e. the counsel about avoiding wicked 
ness and folly, ver. 17. — from that: i. e. the advice in ver. 16. 
— all those things : i. e. the extremes which have been mentioned, 
and their evil consequences. 

19. Comp. ch. ix. 15- 18, Prov. xxi. 22, xxiv. 5. 

21. Give no heed, &c. Lord Bacon, as quoted by Patrick ad 
loc, thus remarks on this verse : — " It is a matter almost beyond 
belief, what disturbance is created by unprofitable curiosity about 
those things that concern our personal interest ; that is, when we 
make a too scrupulous inquiry after such secrets, which, once dis- 
closed and found out, do but cause a disquiet of mind, and nothing 
conduce to the advancing of our designs. For, first, there follows 
vexation and disquiet of mind } human affairs being so full of 
21* 



246 NOTES. 

treachery and ingratitude, that, if there could be procured a magical 
glass in which we might behold the hatreds and whatsoever mali- 
cious contrivances are anywhere raised up against us, it would be 
better for us if such a glass were forthwith thrown away and broken 
in pieces. For things of this nature are like the murmurs of the 
leaves of trees, which in a short time vanish. Secondly, This curi- 
osity loads the mind too much with suspicions and ungrounded 
jealousies ; which is the most capital enemy to counsels, and ren- 
ders them inconstant and involved. Thirdly, The same curiosity 
doth sometimes fix those evils which otherwise of themselves 
would pass by us and fly away. For it is a dangerous thing to 
irritate the consciences of men ; who, if they think themselves to 
lie undiscovered, are easily changed for the better ', but, if they 
perceive themselves to be detected, drive out one mischief by 
another. And therefore it was deservedly esteemed the highest 
wisdom in Pompey the Great, that he instantly burnt all Sertorius's 
papers, unperused by himself, or suffered to be seen by others." — 
*' Be not solicitous or inquisitive to know what people say of thee ; 
if they speak well of thee, it will feed thy pride, — if ill, it will stir 
up thy passion." Henry. 

23. — it was far from me : i. e. I fell far short of the perfection 
of wisdom to which I aspired. 

24. — f^fojf, &c. : i. e. perfect wisdom, a knowledge of the 
reasons of all that occurs in the world. Comp. ch. i. 13. 

28. — is this ; namely, a wise and virtuous woman. This is 
spoken in conformity with the Oriental notions of the female sex. 
See Job xiv. 1, and the note. 

29. — God has made man upright. That man is used in the 
collective sense denoting all mankind, mcluding especially the men 
and women who are just before mentioned, is evident from the 
plural verb, they seek out. — devices : i. e. perverse and evil pur- 
suits. Jerome remarks on this passage : — " Ne videretur com- 
munem hominum damnare naturam, et Deum auctorem facere mali, 
'dum talium conditor est qui malum vitare non possint, argute prse- 
cavit, et ait, bonos nos a Deo creatos ; sed quia libero sumus arbi- 
trio derelicti, vitio nostro ad pejora labi, dum majora quaerimus, 
et ultra vires nostras varia cogitamus." 

Ch. VIII. 1. — brightens his countenance : i. e. enlivens it, 
makes it cheerful and mild, beaming kindness. Comp. Ps. Ixxx. 
3, 7, 19. 



ECCLESIASTES. 247 

2. — oath of God : i. e. the oath of allegiance to the king, 
which you called God to witness. 

3. — to depart from him: i. e. in dislike or discontent, quitting 
his service or obedience. 

4. — poicerful : i. e. he has instruments enough to execute all 
he commands, and there is none to call him to account for his 
conduct. 

5. — time and judgment. Most modern interpreters translate 
ti^ne and manner : i. e. a wise man will attempt to correct what he 
sees to be wrong in government only at a fit time, and in the best 
way. He will not be rash and violent in opposition to the powers 
that be. The passage thus has a good meaning. But it is doubtful 
whether this signification, manner^ be justified by the usage of the 
term D3u!'*p in the Scriptures. In this book it has a different 
sense in all other passages in which it occurs. The word time^ 
too, seems to be used in a peculiar way. Thus, in ch. iii. 17, 
" For there shall be a time for every employment and for every 
work." Here the connection seems to require us to understand 
a time of judgment. So, in ch. ix. 12, " Man knows not his 
time " ; i. e. the time when calamity or death shall come upon him. 
So, in Job xxiv. 1, the term denotes the time when one may ex- 
perience the evil consequences of imprudence, rashness, or mis- 
conduct. Judgment^ it is well known, often denotes retribution or 
punishment. 

6. For to every thing there is a time and judgment : i.e. time 
when the consequences of it shall be experienced and retribution 
take place. See the note on the preceding verse. Otherwise, time 
and manner, in the sense above referred to. 

8. We need not seek for any closer connection of this verse 
with the preceding than to suppose it an illustration of human 
misery, mentioned in ver. 6, or of man's ignorance of the future, in 
his being unable to predict the day of his death. — the spirit : 
i. e. his vital spirit, breath of life. See ch. iii. 19. — discharge, 
&c. : in the conflict between life and death all must engage and 
all be subdued. 

9. — to his hurt: i. e. to the injury and oppression of the gov- 
erned. Man oppresses his fellow-man. 

10. — the wicked buried : i. e. I saw those who deserved infamy 
obtaining an honorable burial. The Hebrews held the burial of 
the dead to be a subject of the utmost importance. To be cast out 
unburied was considered as in the highest degree ignominious and 



248 NOTES. 

terrible. Is. xiv. 19, 20, Jer. vii. 33, xxii. 19. — coming and 
going from the holy place : i. e. coming into life and going out of it, 
from the sacred city of Jerusalem, or, perhaps, from the royal 
palace. The verb signifying to go, in Hebrew, as in the Greek, 
English, and other languages, is often used as a euphemism to 
denote death. — were forgotten : i. e. did not receive that place 
in the memory of their fellow-citizens which their virtues deserved. 
Comp. Is. Ivii. 1. The sentiment of the verse I understand to be 
similar to that in verse 14. In regard to the rendering, the righteous^ 
literally, they who did right, the Hebrew word 13 means right, 
or so, according to the connection. Comp. Numb, xxvii. 7, 2 Kings 
vii. 9. Those who prefer the latter rendering will regard the 
whole verse as relating to the wicked. It will then refer to ill- 
gotten or ill-used honor and power. They who possess the highest 
degrees of either will soon come to the grave and be forgotten. 

11. Because sentence, &c. : i. e. of retribution, punishment. 
Comp. ch. xii. 14. The sentiment of this verse is of universal ap- 
plication in regard to evil-doers, but probably refers in this place 
more particularly to tyrants. 

12. — and have his days prolonged : i.e. in or by his wicked- 
ness. Comp. ch. vii. 15. Or, though no evil happen to him for a 
long time. The verse evidently refers to retribution in this life, as 
appears from the next verse. 

13. '— shall not prolong his days : i. e. he shall come to a sud- 
den and violent end. Comp. Prov. x. 27, Ps. Iv. 23. Some under- 
stand this verse as an imprecation, in order to avoid a seeming in- 
consistency between it and the last. But the wicked may have his 
days prolonged for a time, and yet come to an untimely end. 
Comp. pp. 80-83. 

Ch. VIII. 14 -IX. 10. In this section the Preacher goes on to 
illustrate the vanity of earthly things, as exhibited in the apparently 
equal prosperity of the righteous and the wicked, and the difficulty 
of understanding the divine proceedings in the affairs of the world. 
He repeats and farther illustrates these ideas, and proceeds to rec- 
ommend the present enjoyment of life's blessings as wiser than 
to live in anxiety about distant good, or perplexity about the mys- 
teries of human affairs. See p. 91. 

14. On the consistency of this sentiment with the preceding 
verses, see pp. 80-83. 

15. Then I commended joy, &c. Some understand this as the 



ECCLESIASTES. 249 

cavil of an objector; but without reason. The meaning is, Since 
a man has so little power over his condition, since he can under- 
stand so little of the reasons upon which the outward condition of 
the righteous and the wicked is allotted, it is best for him not to 
perplex and torment himself about these seeming disorders of the 
world, but to live in cheerfulness and tranquillity, freely enjoying 
the present good things which are allotted him, without anxious 
cares respecting the distant future, or painful efforts to discover the 
reasons of the divine proceedings. Comp. ch. ii. 24, and the note. 
— it is this that abides with him^ &c. : i. e. the use and enjoyment 
of what a man obtains by his labor is all that can properly be 
called his own. Whatever estate, possession, &c., he may acquire 
will be left to others. The use and enjoyment only are his own. 

16. — to know wisdom, and to see the business, &c. : i. e. to 
advance myself in wisdom, and to observe the vain and wearisome 
labors of men. I suppose that wisdom, in this verse, refers particu- 
larly to a knowledge of the causes and reasons of the divine pro- 
ceedings ; and that to see the business which is done, means to find 
out or understand the work of God, as in the next verse, and the 
mysteries of the government of the world. — does one see sleep 
with his eyes. The restless, anxious activity of men in general is 
denoted. Some translate, does it, i. e. the mind, see sleep icith its 
eyes ; but this seems to be too harsh a metaphor. 

17. — the whole work of God : i. e. the method and reasons of 
his proceedings in administering the aflTairs of the world ; why, 
for instance, he suffers the wicked to prosper and the virtuous to 
be oppressed, as in ver. 9, 14. This the Preacher maintains to be 
beyond the comprehension of man. 

Ch. IX. 1. — in the hand of God. This phrase denotes some- 
times, to be in the power of God, sometimes, to be under his protect- 
ing care. Both senses are applicable here. — yet neither his love 
nor hatred does man know : i. e. from the good or bad outward 
condition of a man it cannot be determined whether God loves or 
hates him. — Ml this, &c. : i. e. all that is asserted in the next 
verse respecting the common fortune of the good and the bad. 

2. Ml things [happen to them'] as to all : i. e. to the righteous, 
as to all other men. " For there is no certain and constant dis- 
tinction made between one man and another in the distribution of 
things in this world ; but they all fare alike, especially in public 
calamities; a righteous man, for instance, perishes in a battle, as 
w^ell as the wicked ; he that keeps himself pure and undefiled 



250 NOTES. 

dies in a pestilence, as well as the filthy and unclean ; he that 
worships God in sincerity and truth suffers by storms, shipwrecks, 
and inundations, &c., as well as a profane person or a hypocrite ; 
and, on the contrary, a blasphemer of God, nay, a perjured 
wretch, prospers and thrives as much as he that dreads the holy 
name of God, and dare not rashly, much less falsely, take it into 
his mouth." Patrick. In regard to the seeming inconsistency of 
the Preacher, see the Introduction, pp. 80, 81, &c. — to the clean, 
and to the unclean. There is probably reference here to legal 
purity or impurity, according to the statutes of the Mosaic code. 
Of the difficulty in regard to the divine government arising from 
the facts which he here states the author proposes no solution. 
He says expressly that he cannot find out, or comprehend, the 
work of God in regard to it. The solution which occurs to the 
mind of the Christian does not appear to have occurred to him. 
He seems rather to deny a future life in the following verses, 
namely, 5 and 6. A Christian, stating such facts, would naturally 
be led to speak of a retribution after death, and to excite his readers 
to look to it, as a motive to perseverance in well-doing, and a relief 
to his doubts and difficulties relating to the government of God. 
The only inference which the author seems to draw from the per- 
plexing facts which he states is, that it is best to give up all anxiety 
about such dark and difficult subjects, and to enjoy the good things 
of life while they last. From what the writer asserts, and from 
what he omits in the first ten verses of this chapter, it seems very 
doubtful whether he had any belief in a future life, or a state of 
retribution after death. Some writers among the Jews and Chris- 
tians have supposed these verses to be spoken in the character of 
an impious Epicurean. But there seems to be no ground for this 
supposition. On the difficulty presented by this passage, and simi- 
lar ones, in relation to the mode in which the author reconciled the 
sentiments contained in it with his own doctrine of retribution as 
elsewhere expressed, " that it shall be well with them that fear 
God," and that " it shall not be well with the wicked," and that 
" God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret 
thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil," ch. viii. 12, 13, 
xii. 14, see the Introduction, pp. 79-84. 

3. — madness, &c. : i. e. great wickedness. The sentiment of 
the verse is the same as that in ch. viii. 11. — and afterward: 
i. e. after the vicissitudes of life. — they go down to the dead. 
This may be added to illustrate the vanity of human things, or to 



ECCLESIASTES. 251 

illustrate the sentiment, that a common lot happens to the righteous 
and the wicked ; both being under the necessity of going down to 
the dead. 

4. For who is there that is excepted : i. e. exempted from death. 
— there is hope. However miserable may be a man's condition 
while living, he has yet this advantage over the dead, that he can 
hope for a change for the better. Comp. Job vii. 6-10. 

5. — know that they shall die. They know that they must die, 
and of course they know and feel that they are alive, and may have 
much enjoyment before death arrives. — advantage : i. e. from 
their possessions, ifec, all of which are left to their heirs. — for 
their memory is forgotten : i. e. so far are they from having any 
enjoyment of their possessions, that it is altogether forgotten by 
their successors that such persons ever lived. 

5. — which happens under the sun. Some have erroneously 
supposed that this expression is used in contradistinction to another 
world, in which the dead might have a portion. But the phrase is 
not used in this emphatic sense. Thus, in ch. i. 9, the author says, 
" There is no new thing under the sun." See also ch. ii. 18. 
When I consider that this description of death, as the end of man's 
activity, faculties, feelings, and enjoyments, is made without any 
qualification ; that it follows the statement of the mysterious conduct 
of Providence in allotting the condition of the righteous and the 
wicked ; and that, instead of being followed by any reference to a 
future life, by way of encouragement to the virtuous, or of terror to 
the wicked, or of explanation of the divine proceedings, it makes 
the certainty of death only a motive for enjoying the present life, 
while it lasts ; it is very difficult for me to believe that the doctrine 
of a future life, or of a retribution after death, was a part of the 
faith of the Preacher. 

7. Go thy way, &c. " And, therefore, shaking off both all anx- 
ious cares, and also all perplexing thoughts about God's providence, 
ver. 1, excite thyself by the remembrance of death to a cheerful 
enjoyment of those good things present which thou justly possessest; 
use them, while thou hast them, with a well pleased, contented, 
nay, joyful mind." Patrick. Comp. ch. ii. 24, and the note. 
— for now is God pleased with thy works : i. e. with thy labors, 
and gives them success ; and, by giving you the means of cheerful 
enjoyment, shows his intention that you should use them. 

8. — garments he always white. This is an exhortation to cheer- 
fulness and joy ; as it was the custom for the rich and powerful to 



252 NOTES. 

robe themselves in white cotton, especially on festival days. See 
Jahn's Archaeology, § 119; also Esther viii. 15, Rev. iii. 4, 5, vi. 11. 
See also Hor. Sat. ii. 2, 60. 

" llle repotia, natales, aliosve dierum 
Festos albatus celebret." 

— fragrant oil : vi^hich it was the custom of the Hebrews to pour 
upon their heads on days of rejoicing and festivity. See Is. Ixi. 3, 
Amos vi. 6, Ps. xxiii. 5. 

9. Enjoy life with the wife whom thou lovest. " Seek for such a 
wife as thou canst love, and when thou hast her delight thyself in 
her company, with such unalterable kindness as may help to 
sweeten the afflictions to v/hich we are subject." Patrick. — thy 
portion : the enjoyment of what you obtain by your labor is all that 
you can call your own. You can take nothing with you when you 
go down to the grave. See ch. viii. 15. "Here is a new proof 
that this is not the speech of voluptuaries ; for they love not to be 
confined to a wife, as the Preacher here advises this happy man to 
be; making her his partner in all the joys and comforts he hath, as 
she will be in his grief and sorrows." Patrick. 

10. — thy hand finds to do : i. e. what thou hast opportunity 
and ability to do at present, without scheming and anxiety respect- 
ing the future. Here the Preacher makes it evident that he does 
not persuade men to an idle and sensual life, but only to a sober 
enjoyment of their blessings in an industrious prosecution of their 
vocations. 

Ch. IX. 11— XI. 6. The Preacher now adduces a new illustra- 
tion of the vanity of human life in the circumstances that success 
does not always answer to a man's strength, wisdom, and other 
advantages ; and that wisdom, with all its benefits to the public, 
often brings but little consideration to its possessor. He adds vari- 
ous proverbs showing the advantages of wisdom and prudence. 
He speaks of the evil of rulers unfit for their stations, and gives 
various maxims for the regulation of conduct in private and public. 
This section closes with a recommendation of liberality to the poor, 
and diligent exertion, without an over-anxious solicitude respecting 
the issue of our labors. 

11. — nor favor to men of knowledge : i. e. the esteem and 
respect of mankind are not always gained by the wise. Sometimes 
neglect, envy, and hatred are their portion. — time and chance. 



ECCLESIASTES. 253 

In this connection the author has in mind a time of misfortune, an 
unfortunate chance^ or occurrence. Lord Bacon, as quoted by 
Patrick, remarks upon the maxim, " Faber quisque fortunse suae, 
Every man makes his own fortune," that we ought to look upon 
it as "an insolent and unlucky saying, except it be uttered as an 
hortative or spur to correct sloth. For otherwise, if it be believed 
as it sounds, and a man enters into a high imagination that he can 
compass and fathom all accidents, and ascribes all successes to his 
own drift and reaches, and the contrary to his errors and slippings, 
it is a profane speech, and it is commonly seen that the evening 
fortune of that man is not so prosperous, as of him that, without 
slacking his industry, attributeth much to felicity and providence 
above him." 

12. — knows not his time. We need not confine this remark 
exclusively to the time of one's death. It may refer to the time of 
any misfortune or calamity. Some understand it in the sense of 
suitable time or opportunity, Bvxaioi'av. 

13. — even wisdom : i. e. T have observed the nature and effects 
of wisdom, and estimated its exceeding value. 

15. — yet no man remembered^ &c. : i. e. no man thought of 
him after the danger was past. Thus the remark in ver. 11 is 
illustrated, that favor is not always to the wise. 

17. — are sooner heard : i. e. in times of danger and distress, 
though they may be disregarded in times of prosperity. — foolish ; 
literally, icho is among fools. So in Ps. cxviii. 7, the literal ren- 
dering is, Jehovah is among my helpers : i. e. Jehovah is my helper. 
See Gesen. Lex. on the preposition 2- 

18. But one offender : i. e. against the rules of wisdom and 
prudence, as the connection seems to require. One man, by his 
rashness and imprudence, may bring ruin, not only upon himself, 
but upon many, even upon whole nations. 

Ch. X. 1. — a little folly. The Preacher seems in this verse 
to intend to illustrate the evil which a foolish man may occasion 
to the cause in which he is engaged. He is a marplot, and often 
does more mischief than many wise counsellors can remedy. The 
rendering of the common version, which has no better support from 
the Hebrew than mine, is less agreeable to the connection. 

2. — wise man's mind : literally, heart, which was regarded as 
the seat of the mind by the Hebrews, as the brain is by the mod- 
erns. — at his right hand : i. e. he can use his mind to some pur- 
pose, can exercise a ready judgment on every occasion ; as men in 

22 



254 NOTES. 

general can readily and efficiently use their right hand, but not 
their left. 

3. — walks in the way . I should understand this literally of the 
gait, behaviour, and talk of a person, as he passes through the 
streets. — proclaims^ &c. : i. e. by his behaviour, that he is him- 
self a fool. Otherwise, he thinks and declares that all others are 
fools. 

4. leane not thy place : i. e. in anger and discontent. Do not 

abandon his service hastily and rashly, but continue in the faithful 
and quiet discharge of the duties of thy station. Comp. ch, viii. 3. 

great offences: i. e. such as he supposes thou hast committed 

against him. Let not, therefore, a false opinion of implacability 
make thee desperate, and draw thee into rebellion. 

5. — from the ruler : in appointing unworthy and incapable 
persons to places of honor and power ; or in suffering them to rise 
to such places. 

6. — set in great dignity : i. e. raised to honorable stations. 
the nohle : in character, birth, and advantages of possessing wis- 
dom, which it is here presumed that they have used. " Many 
kings," says Grotius, " suspect those who are distinguished for 
nobility, or wisdom, or wealth." " Aliena illis virtus formidolosa 
est : The virtue of others is feared by them." Sallust. 

7. — servants upon horses : i. e. slaves who had been raised 
from their servile condition to such eminent stations that they rode 
upon horses. Riding upon horses was regarded as the badge and 
privilege of the higher ranks in the East. See Jer. xvii. 25, Ezek. 
xxiii. 23. — princes: i. e» persons of high rank and former opu- 
lence who have been depressed by the injustice of the ruler. It 
has been observed by several writers that persons of high rank and 
opulence in the East, at the present day, are distinguished from their 
inferiors by riding on horseback when they go abroad ; while those 
of meaner stations, if not on foot, are obliged to content themselves 
with the ass or the mule. 

8. He that digs a pit, &c. The proverbs which follow, to ver. 
20, have been supposed to be cautions against sedition and rebellion 
against kings, having reference to ver. 4. But such an application 
of them is rather forced and arbitrary. It seems more probable 
that they are general maxims for the wise conduct of life, in the 
midst of the vanities and dangers of the world, which the Preacher 
has described. See Prov. xxvi. 27. — breaks through a hedge : 
i.e. with the design of stealing fruits. — a serpent : such as is 



ECCLESIASTES. 255 

usually found in hedges. The proverb shows the evil consequences 
of dishonesty to him that practises it. 

9. Iflioso removes stones, &c. : i. e. great stones, for the handling 
of which their strength is insufficient. The design of both the 
proverbs in this verse is, to show that rash and imprudent men, who 
engage in difficult and dangerous undertakings, often injure them- 
selves thereby. — cleaves loood, &c. This proverb amounts to 
the same thing with the common one, that it is dangerous to meddle 
w^ith edge-tools. 

10. If the iron he blunt, &c. *' This is sufficient to show how 
unprofitable all our endeavours are without true judgment. For as 
a rusty tool, though managed by the strongest man, is so far from 
effecting his desires that it only tires his arm, unless he file and 
whet it to recover its edge, so all the power in the world rather 
hurts than advantages him that has it, unless it be guided and di- 
rected by prudence." Patrick. See ch. ix. 16, 18. 

11. If a serpent hite, &c. This proverb is in commendation of 
wisdom. As the poison of the serpent is avoided only by the ut- 
most care and circumspection, so is it with the dangers arising from 
intercourse with men. It is equivalent to the common one, that an 
ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It is too late to 
begin to enchant when the poisonous bite is given. Perhaps there 
may be reference to the avoiding of danger from the powerful by 
turning away their wTath by conciliating language. See the next 
verse. — the charmer, literally, the lord of the tongue, has in 
this case no advantage from his art, but rather severe injury 
Comp. Sirach xii. 13, Ps. Iviii. 4; 5, Jer. viii. 17. For some very 
remarkable accounts given by travellers in Egypt and the East, 
respecting the powder which certain persons possess of charming 
serpents, and depriving them of the power of poisoning by music 
and other means, see Robinson's Calmet, Art. Inchantments . 

12. — gracious : i. e, mild, kind, agreeable, and thus conciliate 
favor; while those of the fool are harsh and offensive, and bring 
evil upon him. 

13. The beginning, «fec. : i. e. All his talk, from beginning to 
end, is folly, and he proceeds from bad to worse, from folly to rage, 
which ends in mischief to himself or to others. 

14. — multiplies words, &c. The Preacher seems to allude to 
the folly of those great talkers who speak with confidence of their 
intentions and plans for the future, or who are fond of predicting 
what will happen in time to come. 



256 NOTES. 

15. — knows not how to go to the city. This language probably 
had the emphasis and point of a proverb. To go to the city is an 
instance of what ought to be familiar and well known. The mean- 
ing is, that the foolish man, in his labors and pursuits, is like a 
traveller ignorant of the road, who, in going to a city, takes diffi- 
cult, troublesome, or dangerous circuits, which bring him no nearer 
to the end of his journey. 

16. — king is a child. This may be understood literally, as 
setting forth the evils of having a child for a king. But I should 
rather understand it of a king resembling a child in disposition, 
character, and conduct, one who gives himself up to amusements 
and neglects the weighty concerns of government. Rosenmaller 
quotes from the Arabic Anthology a similar proverb: — "The 
blow of an axe upon the head is lighter than the government of 
one of the young colts." — feast in the morning. Jahn, in his 
Archaeology, § 145, says, — " Not only the inhabitants of the East 
generally, but the Greeks and Romans also, were in the habit of 
taking a slight dinner about ten or eleven o'clock of our lime, 
which consisted of fruits, milk, cheese, &c. Their principal meal 
was about six or seven in the afternoon." Hence, to eat, i. e. to 
feast, in the morning was regarded as intemperance, and as consum- 
ing the time which ought to be devoted to affairs of government. 
Comp. Is. V. 11, Acts ii. 13 — 15. 

17. — a noble : i e. resembles those who are truly noble in dis- 
position and character, according to a well known Hebraism. 

19. — money answers all things : i. e. procures, supplies, all 
things. From the condemnation' of idleness the Preacher passes to 
the commendation of that which is procured by diligence, i. e. 
money, affirming, that, while of other good things one procures one 
advantage, and another another, money procures all. So Hor. 
Epist. i. 6, 36 : — 

" Scilicet uxorem cum dote, fidemque, et amicos, 
Et genus, et formam, regina pecunia donat." 

20. There is probably no allusion here to the custom of sending 
letters by pigeons, as some suppose. The idea is, that the king 
will get intelligence of what is said against him in some unknown 
and unsuspected way, as if a bird of the air was passing by the 
window, and carried it. There is an English proverb, " Hedges 
have ears " ; and " The vv^alls will speak." 

Ch. XL 1. Cast thy bread upon the icaters. There can be little 



ECCLESIASTES. 257 

doubt that this verse is a recommendation of liberality in giving to 
the needy ; but, respecting the explanation of the proverb, there 
are different opinions. Some suppose the allusion is to the planting 
of corn or rice upon wet places, or such as are even covered v^^ith 
water, which yield an abundant harvest. The objection to this 
is, that, if there be an allusion to any custom of this kind, it would 
not be practised without the confident expectation of a harvest ; 
in which case the precept would relate to industry rather than to 
generosity. Besides, the language is, " Cast thy hread^'' &c., not 
thy grain. It may not be amiss to observe, that the cakes of the 
Hebrews were thin and light, such as would float for a time on the 
water. "The cakes when made were round, and nine or ten inches 
in diameter. The unleavened cakes were not thicker than a knife, 
but the leavened were as thick as a man's little finger. Hence 
they were not cut with a knife, but broken." Jahn's Archaeology, 
§ 140. Thus the meaning of the proverb may be. Bestow thy 
gifts with the utmost liberality, even upon those who, by reason 
of their ingratitude or their extreme poverty, may seem to be as 
unlikely to make any returns to thee, as the water upon which it 
might be cast. Win the good- will of all, even of the lowest, by acts 
of kindness. You may receive a return from them ; if not, you 
will be rewarded by God. Rosenmtiller observes that the Arabs 
have a similar proverb, — "Do good ; throw bread into the water ; 
it will one day be repaid thee." The Turks have borrowed it from 
the Arabs, with a slight alteration : " Do good ; throw bread into 
the water ; even if the fish does not know, yet the Creator knows 
it." 

2. — a portion : i. e. a part of thy good things or provisions. 
— to seven^ &c. : i. e. to many, not limiting your beneficence, except 
by your ability. Com p. Mic. v. 5. — thou knowest not what evil^ 
&c. : i. e. some calamity may strip thee of thy property, and make 
thee an object of charity, when thou mayst receive aid from some 
one of those whose good-will thou hast secured by thy benefi- 
cence. 

3. When the clouds^ &c. There is some difficulty in explaining 
both the proverbs of this verse so as to make them illustrate the 
same thing. It is commonly supposed that the duty of the wealthy 
man is enforced by allusion to the clouds, which are not filled with 
moisture for themselves, but pour it down freely and plentifully 
upon the thirsty earth, even upon the barren as well as upon the 
fertile soil. Rosenmuller observes that a liberal man is compared 

22* 



258 NOTES. 

to a cloud which promises rain, in one of the Arabic poets. — and 
when the tree falls. Grotius explains this as meaning that benefits 
should be bestowed without much consideration of the object upon 
which they are bestowed, as he who cuts down a tree does not care 
much which way it falls. Others suppose the meaning to be, that, 
as a tree will certainly be found by its owner in the place where it 
is cut down, so a benefit, wherever it is bestowed, whether upon a 
worthy or an unworthy person, shall be found a blessing to the 
author of it, as bread cast upon the waters will afterwards be found, 
ver. 1. Others suppose the verse to be designed to illustrate a new 
sentiment, namely, that what must come will come ; that there are 
events which cannot be prevented by any foresight, or remedied 
by human care; and that what cannot be cured must be endured. 
When the cloud is full, the rain will fall, without regard to our 
wishes; and where the tree has fallen, there it will stay, whether 
we like it or not. Comp. ver. 6. 

4. — watches the wind, &c. This proverb may imply a recom- 
mendation not to be overscrupulous in the exercise of charity. 
But it is, perhaps, more probable that it relates to human con- 
duct in general, in relation both to business and duty. He that is 
deterred from any undertaking by every appearance of hazard or 
inconvenience will never accomplish any thing; as he that will 
not sow till the wind comes from exactly the right quarter may let 
the seedtime pass by ; and he that will not reap because he is 
afraid of every cloud that threatens rain may lose his harvest. 

5. — the way of the wind : i. e. whence it comes and whither it 
goes. Comp. John iii. 8. Both of the images in this verse are 
designed to set forth the incomprehensibility of Providence, or 
the uncertainty how God will order the course of things, what evil 
he will send, or what good, whether storms or sunshine, rain or 
drought, or whether life itself will be continued. The inference 
seems to be, that we are to be active in duty and business, and 
leave events to the care of Providence. 

6. — whether this shall prosper^ or that: i. e. that which is sown 
early, or that which is sown late. See the note on ver. 4 and 5. 

Ch. XI. 7 - XII. 8. In this portion of the book the Preacher 
passes to a new topic, and exhorts to a cheerful enjoyment of life 
while it lasts, in the participation of pleasures which in their nature 
and degree are consistent with the thought of retribution and the 
remembrance of the Creator. The consideration of the long night 



ECCLESIASTES. 259 

of death and the grievous infirmities of age are urged as a reason 
for dispelling anxiety and sorrow while the opportunity for enjoy- 
ment lasts. Comp. ch. ii. 24, and the note. 

7. — the light^ &c. : i. e. life is dear to all. To see the light, 
to behold the sun, is figurative language for to live. 

8. In this verse the Preacher assigns a reason for the assertion 
in the last. — he rejoices in them all : i. e. he does not become 
weary of life ; he rejoices that year after year is added to his life, 
and does not wish it to terminate. The reason is added, namely, he 
remembers the days of darkness : i. e. the long night of death which 
succeeds life. Comp. Job x. 21, Ps. Ixxxviii. 12. — Ml that 
comes is vanity. The connection seems to show the meaning to be. 
All the future, after the present life is closed, is vanity or nothing- 
ness. Comp. ch. ix. 4-6. 

9. Rejoice^ O young man, in thy youth : i. e. in the time of thy 
youth. This verse is commonly understood in an ironical sense, 
like the language of Elijah to the priests of Baal, " Cry aloud, for 
he is a god." But from the connection in which the verse stands, 
and from a comparison of it with other passages in the book, in 
which the writer recommends present enjoyment, in opposition to 
anxious care, as a man's only portion in the midst of the vanities 
and uncertainties of life, it is far more probable that the exhortation 
is serious. See ch. ii. 10, 24, iii. 12, 13, 22, v. 18, vi. 9, vii. 14, 
viii. 15, ix. 7-9. So the verse is understood by Jerome, Martin 
Luther, Bishop Patrick, and other interpreters. The Preacher re- 
gards the season of youth as the peculiar season of enjoyment ; but 
he would have all the pleasures of youth consecrated by the re- 
miembrance of the Creator, being innocent in their nature, and pur- 
sued only to such an extent as is consistent with the Creator's 
laws, and with the retribution which attends the violation of them. 
The expression, " Walk in the ways of thy heart and in the sight 
of thine eyes," to one accustomed to the Christian sentiment 
of faith in a future life, would seem at first to be used in an 
ironical sense. But it is susceptible of a good one, namely. 
Pursue such things as will gratify your desires and delight your 
senses ; and the necessary qualification is immediately added, 
namely, that the pursuit of enjoyment is to be in consistency with 
the thought of judgment or retribution from God ; that he will 
bring us into judgment in relation to the virtuous use or sinful 
abuse of our blessings. The laws of the Creator, and the penalties 
or consequences annexed to their violation, are to be kept in mind. 



260 NOTES. 

In Numb. xv. 39, " to seek after one's own heart, and one's own 
eyes " is used in express opposition to " remembering the com- 
mandments of the Lord," and of course should have no influence 
on the explanation of these phrases when used in a different con- 
nection. 

10. — sorrow from thy hearty — evil from thy body. The con- 
nection, as well as such passages as ch. ix. 7 — 9, and others referred 
to in the preceding note, seems to require us to understand the verse 
as an exhortation to banish anxiety and sorrow from the mind, and 
from the body whatever is painful or noxious ; in other words, to 
recommend a cheerful enjoyment of life, from the consideration, 
that the season of youth is transitory, passing away like a vapor. 

Ch. XII. 1. Remember, &c. This sentiment is to be connected 
with what goes before. Youth is not only the season of enjoyment, 
but of religion. In that interesting period of life, cheerfulness and 
joy are to be cherished, the pleasures of life are to be enjoyed, 
sorrow and pain are to be banished ; but the whole conduct in 
relation to these things is to be regulated by the remembrance of 
the Creator, of the intimate relation in which the creature stands 
to him, of the blessings which he has received from him, of the 
duties which he owes to him, and of the judgment appointed by 
him, into which he is to be brought. 

2. In verse 1, the Preacher has exhorted the young to remem- 
ber the Creator in the peculiar season of their enjoyments and ca- 
pacities, which is also the season of their temptations, before the 
troubles and infirmities of age should arrive. He now proceeds to 
give, in figurative, or what may be called enigmatical language, a 
more particular description of the troubles, decays, and infirmities 
of old age. — sun, and the light, &c. I do not understand this of 
the dim-sightedness of old men, which is alluded to in the next 
verse. The images in this verse rather set forth the gloom and 
sadness which belongs to old age, when every thing looks dark and 
cheerless. — and the clouds return after the rain : i. e. when one 
trouble seems to tread upon the heels of another, causing continual 
sadness ; when after the rain no sunshine succeeds, but only per- 
petual clouds. 

3. Here the decay and infirmities of the human body in age are 
compared to a house decayed and falling into ruin. Comp. Job iv. 
19, 2 Cor. V. 1. — keepers of the house : i. e. the arms, which 
guard the body from injury, defend it from assault, supply it with 
food, &c., and which are subject to weakness and trembling in 



ECCLESIASTES. 261 

age. — men of war : or soldiers. See Deut. iii. 18, 1 Sam. xiv. 
52, 2 Kings xxiv. 16. They here denote the thighs and legs, on 
which the body rests for support, but which in old men become 
feeble, bent in walking, and unfit for their office. — and the 
grinders cease. The image is drawn from grinding by the hand- 
mill, w^hich was performed by Hebrew servants in the house. 
Exod. xi. 5. — cease : i. e. cease to grind. It represents the teeth 
of the aged man, which are too few to discharge their office of pre- 
paring the food for the stomach. — those that look out of the win- 
dows : i. e. the eyes, which look through the cavities of the head 
in which they are placed, as it were through the windows of a 
house. They are said to be darkened, in reference to the dimness 
of sight common to the aged. Comp. Gen. xxvii. 1, xlviii. 10. 

4. — when the doors are shut in the streets^ &c. Some under- 
stand this literally of the doors of the old man's habitation, in refer- 
ence to his remaining at home. But it seems best to understand it 
allegorically of his lips, which are elsewhere called doors, in the 
Scriptures. See Job xli. 14, Micah vii. 5. The meaning is, that 
the old man seldom opens his mouth to eat or to speak, it being 
difficult to do either when the teeth are gone. — rise up at the 
voice of the bird. The aged man's restlessness or difficulty of en- 
joying sound and long sleep is here described ', he is awaked by 
the earliest chirping of birds in the morning, and so compelled to 
rise. — all the daughters of music : all songstresses, all the women 
who sing, or, perhaps, all musical voices or sounds. — are brought 
low: i. e. sound low, are not heard by him, in consequence of 
his deafness. So old Barzillai, in 2 Sam. xix. 35, says, " Can I 
hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women.? " 

5. — they are afraid of that which is high : i. e. on account of 
their weakness, or short breath, or dizziness, they are afraid to as- 
cend stairs, hills, &c. — and terrors are in the tcay : i. e. terrors 
for them. They are afraid of walking in a common way, lest they 
should stumble, or meet with some accident. — and the almond is 
despised : i. e. so rich and delicate a fruit as the almond is rejected 
by the toothless old man. Others, with the common version, the 
almond-tree shall flourish ; referring to the white hairs of the old 
man. This does not agree so well with what follows; and, be- 
sides, it is said that the blossoms of the almond-tree are not white, 
but rose or flesh-colored. See Pliny, Hist. Nat. 16, 25. — and the 
locust is a burden : i.e. the locust, which was a common food with 
the Orientals, and which may have been regarded as of easy diges- 



262 NOTES. 

tion, cannot be eaten or digested by the old man. The locust would 
hardly be mentioned as an instance of a very light thing resting 
upon the old man. It would be a disagreeable thing, at least, 
lighting upon any one. — and the caper-herry fails : i. e. to ex- 
cite appetite, or other natural desire. See Gesen. Lex. ad verb., 
who refers to Plutarch, Quagst. Symp. 6, 2, and to Pliny, Hist. Nat. 
13, 23, ib. 20, 15, as showing that the caper-berry was regarded by 
the ancients as a provocative of appetite and lust. The translation 
caper-herry is supported by the Sept., Vulg., and Syr. versions. 
The common version expresses the sense, but not the literal mean- 
ing. — since man goes, &c. : i. e. the aged man is on the point of 
being carried to the grave, his long or everlasting home, comp. 
Tob. iii. 6, with the usual mourning solemnities. By mourners 
may be understood not only the relatives, but such hired mourners 
as are mentioned in Jer. ix. 17, Amos v. 16, upon which see the 
note. 

6. — before the silver cord be snapped, and the golden bowl be 
broken. From plain language the Preacher now returns to that 
which is allegorical, setting forth the decline and loss of the vital 
powers in man by new images. The exhortation, " Remember thy 
Creator," is to be regarded as repeated at the beginning of this 
verse. The metaphor, by which loss of life is denoted, is borrowed 
from a lamp suspended from a ceiling by a silver cord. The golden 
bowl is the bowl or reservoir of oil, from which it is distributed 
into the branches, in which the wicks are placed from which the 
light proceeds. See Zech. iv. 2, and the note. Job xxix. 3, and 
the note. The cord by which this golden bowl or reservoir of oil 
is suspended, being decayed with age, giving way, and so suffering 
the bowl of oil to fall upon the floor and be broken, and thus ex- 
tinguish the lamps, affords a striking image of the breaking up of 
the human machine, and the extinction of its life, which, by a very 
common metaphor, is said to be suspended upon a brittle thread. 
We need not inquire what internal part of the body is denoted by 
the silver cord, or the golden bowl ; whether by the former is de- 
noted the spinal marrow, the nerves, the veins, or arteries ; or 
whether by the golden bowl is denoted the heart, the brain, &c. ; 
since it is extremely doubtful whether the Preacher refers to either. 
The general image presented by the breaking of the lamp, and of 
the silver cord which held it up, sufficiently illustrates the extinc- 
tion of life. — or the bucket broken at the fountain, or the tcheel 
broken at the tcell. By the fountain here is denoted a place from 



ECCLESIASTES. 263 

which the water could be obtained only by being drawn up by a 
bucket; an earthen one, indeed, and used for carrying water as well 
as drawing it, but originally for drawing it, as appears from the deri- 
vation of the Hebrew term. The water could not be procured, when 
the bucket and the wheel, by which the water was drawn from the 
well by a line and bucket appended to it, were broken. Water- 
wheels are still used in the East ', Niebuhr has given a picture of 
one in his Description of Arabia. Indeed, water-wheels are not 
uncommon in this country. By the images of the broken bucket 
and wheel, in consequence of which no water could be procured, is 
set forth the decay and dissolution of the human body through age, 
in consequence of which the life cannot be retained in it. Some 
have undertaken to point out what internal part of the body was 
denoted by the bucket, the fountain, the wheel, and the cistern ; 
I do not think the Preacher intended such a particular application 
of the terms. 

7. — and the dust, &c. This is the most literal rendering ; 
and being the translation of the Hebrew conjunction ). — and 
the spirit return to God who gave it. See the notes on ch. iii. 19, 
21. In those notes I have given reasons for the supposition, that by 
spirit the author understands the vital spirit, which was breathed 
into man by the Almighty when he had formed him out of dust, 
and not the soul, considered as having a conscious personal exist- 
ence. In view of the considerations presented in those notes, it 
seems improbable that this verse expresses the doctrine of the im- 
mortality of the conscious soul. It is more probable that the ex- 
pression has the same meaning as in Job xxxiv. 14, 15, — 

" Should he set his heart against man, 

He would take back his spirit and his breath ; 
All flesh would then expire together ; 
Yea, man would return to the dust."^ 

This conclusion is strengthened by the verse which follows. When 
the Apostle Paul proclaims the Christian doctrine, that this cor- 
ruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on im- 
mortality, he adds, " O death, where is thy sling ? O grave, where 
is thy victory ? " If the Preacher had expressed a similar senti- 
ment, would he have added in the very next verse. Mere vanity, 
all is vanity 9 If by the return of the spirit to God he had under- 
stood what a Christian v^ould now express by the language, would 
no joy have been awakened by the thought ? Would he not have 



264 NOTES. 

made use of the doctrine for consolation, in a discourse upon the 
vanity of earthly things? Would the only way in which he spoke 
of the return of the spirit to God be that of regarding it as the 
consequence of the breaking up of the human system, the last act 
of the sad drama of life, rather than as the commencement of a 
happier existence ? A review of the passages in which the Preacher 
alludes to the condition of man after death is, on the whole, incon- 
sistent with his faith in the immortality of the conscious soul. In 
ch. iii. 18-21, he complains of the sad condition of man, in that 
the same lot befalls him which befalls the brutes, the body of 
each returning to the dust out of which it was formed; and in 
verse 21 he asks, " Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes 
upward, and the spirit of a beast, whether it goes downward to the 
earth ? " This is the rendering which the Hebrew idiom demands. 
It seems to imply that some had maintained that there was a dif- 
ferent residence for the spirit of a man after death from that which 
was allotted to brutes, but that the writer doubted the correctness 
of the opinion. In the next verse the same doubt is repeated : — 
*' For who shall bring him to see what shall be after him ? " In 
ch. vi. 12, the writer expresses the same doubt in nearly the same 
words. In ch. viii. 6 — 9, the Preacher reminds the wicked of a 
day of judgment which he cannot escape. But he evidently has 
in view retribution on earth. In ch. ix. 4 — 6, we have another 
strong expression of the writer's views, which can hardly be recon- 
ciled with faith in the souPs immortality. The frequent recurrence 
of his doubts on this subject, and the practical exhortations which 
are founded on them, indicate that he had no faith in the soul's im- 
mortality. In ch. xi. 9, and xii. 14, it is most consistent with the 
tenor of the whole book to regard the judgment spoken of as oc- 
curring in the present world. It is also to be observed that Ian 
guage similar to that of the verse on which we are commenting is 
used by the ancient philosophers who had no belief in the soul's 
conscious immortality. Thus Lucretius, who, in Lib. III. 418, &c., 
argues at great length that the soul is mortal like the body, says, 
Lib. II. 999, &c., — 

" Cedit enim retro, de terra quod fuit ante, 
In terras ; et, quod missum est ex aetheris oris. 
Id rursum coeli relatum lempla receptant." 

" For that which was from the earth goes back to the earth ; and 
that which was sent from the regions of the air, being conveyed 



ECCLESIASTES. - 265 

back, is again received into the temples of heaven." See, also, 
the passages from Greek writers quoted by Le Clerc ad loc. Sim- 
ilar expressions might be used by Orientals, who hold the doc- 
trine of the absorption of the soul into the Deity. It would give 
any one pleasure, without doubt, to find the doctrines of the Chris- 
tian revelation anticipated by the Hebrew writers, but no good is 
permanently gained by disguising or sacrificing the truth. 

Ch. XII. 9 - 14. This epilogue, on account of the character of 
its sentiments, is supposed by some critics to have been added to the 
book by a later writer than the author. But there does not appear 
sufficient ground for such a supposition, especially if we reject the 
opinion that Solomon was the author of the book. Knobel regards 
verse 14 as referring to a retribution in a future life, and therefore in- 
consistent with the general sentiment of the book. On this account 
he rejects it as spurious. But if we consider the broad and in- 
definite mode of expression which is characteristic of the Preacher, 
and the other passages in which he refers to a judgment, there 
will be no difficulty in supposing that he refers to temporal retri- 
bution in verse 14. 

11. — are as goads : i. e. they have the same power to stimu- 
late men to the acquisition of wisdom and the practice of virtue, as 
the goad has to excite the dull ox to put forth more strength, or to 
go in the right track. — as driven nails : i. e, they make a deep 
and abiding impression, stick as fast in the mind as nails or pegs 
when driven into boards and beams. Roberts informs us that such 
expressions are common in Hindostan. It is said, " The words of 
that judge are quite certain ; they are like the driven nails." " I 
have heard all he has to say, and the effect on my mind is like a 
nail driven home." " What a speaker ! all his words are nails ; 
who will draw them out again ? " See Roberts's Illustrations ad 
loc. — members of assemblies : literally, lords or masters of as- 
semblies. So in Judges ix. 51, the common version correctly trans- 
lates, " they of the city," where the literal rendering would be 
** masters of the city." So, Joshua xxiv. 11, " the men of Jericho," 
instead of "the masters of Jericho." These assemblies were proba- 
bly composed of the most wise and learned men of a place, who 
met together to discuss questions of religion, morals, philosophy, 
&c. Perhaps they had some connection with synagogues. The 
Jewish doctors of the temple, among whom Jesus was found by his 
parents, may give us an idea of them. See Lightfoot, Hor. Heb. 
23 



266 NOTES. 

et Talmud., upon Matt. iv. 23, and De Synagogis. — given by one 
teacher : i. e. words of the wise, or members of assemblies, such as 
are uttered by such members among themselves, and are spoken, or 
written and published, by one teacher, like the Preacher or the au- 
thor of the book of Ecclesiastes. — teacher : literally, shepherd : 
i. e. one who feeds the people with knowledge, as a shepherd 
feeds his flock. Comp. Prov. x. 21. Some suppose that by one 
teacher, or shepherd, God, the inspirer of wisdom, is intended. 

12. Of making many books, &c. The design of this sentiment 
seems to be, to urge men to be satisfied with a few good books of 
the wise, whose words are as goads and driven nails, rather than to 
perplex themselves with reading many books or making new ones. 
Dr. Channing has a similar sentiment in his Lectures on the Ele- 
vation of the Laboring Portion of the Community. " We need 
not many books to answer the great ends of reading. A few are 
better than many, and a little time given to a faithful study of the 
few will be enough to quicken thought and enrich the mind." 
" Few of the books read among us deserve to be read. Most of 
them have no principle of life, as is proved by the fact that they 
die the year of their birth. They do not come from thinkers, and 
how can they awaken thought ? " 

13. — the end. This word is used literally, where it elsewhere 
occurs in this book. Ch. iii. 11, vii. 2. The meaning may be 
thus expressed. My discourse has come to an end. I have nothing 
more to say except this, the most important thing which can be said. 
Fear God, &c. — of all men. Others translate, the whole of man : 
i. e. his whole business or duty. But such a form of expression is 
hardly met with in Hebrew, or in other languages. 

14. — into judgment, &c. See the notes on ch. iii. 19, 21, 
ix. 2, xii. 7. To those who are familiar with the Christian 
doctrine of retribution after death the Preacher may seem to allude 
to it here. But, for the reasons which have been given in the notes 
referred to, it is more probable that he refers to retribution in this 
world. So Luther understood it. " Non loquitur autem de judicio 
extremo, sed usu ScripturaB, et generaliter de quibuslibet judiciis, 
sive quibus haeretici judicantur et perduntur, sive quicunque im- 
pii." See Luther's Comment, in loc. Opera, Vol. IV., p. 46, 
Edit Wittenb. 



NOTES 



THE CANTICLES. 



Ch. I. 2—8. This song seems to set forth the desire of an inno- 
cent country maiden to see her shepherd lover, whom she prefers 
to follow with his flocks, rather than to dwell in the abodes of 
royalty. I do not see how verse 7, " Tell me where thou feed- 
est," can be reconciled with the supposition, that Solomon, or any 
king, was the object of the maiden's attachment. It seems rather 
to be her desire to escape from the palace, and to be with the 
humble shepherd, tending his flocks. 

2. — one of the kisses : literally, from the kisses : i. e. with one 
or some of those peculiar kisses which come from his mouth. 
Sept. (filrioaroi lis axcb cp iXr^iiar cjv, &c. — thy love : i. e. as it is 
expressed in kisses, caresses, love-tokens, &c. The word is in the 
plural in the Hebrew. The change of person, by which the absent 
object of affection is addressed as present, belongs to the vividness 
of poetic representation, and is probably more common in Hebrew 
than in other poetry. — better than wine. The Eastern poets, 
and even those of Greece, make a frequent use of this comparison. 
See Bion, Idyl. A. 49. The stanza in the song of Ben Jonson is 
well known : — 

" Drink to me only with thine eyes. 
And I will pledge with mine ; 
And leave a kiss within the cup, 
And I '11 not ask for wine," 



268 NOTES. 

3. — savor, &c. The fondness of the Orientals for fragrant 
odors in connection with the dress is well known. Comp. Ps. xlv. 
8, cxxxiii. 2, Prov. vii. 17, Amos vi. 6, Lane's Arabian Nights, 
Vol. I., 405, 536. But, as the lover is represented as a shep- 
herd in verse 7, the savor of his perfumes may be a figurative ex- 
pression, denoting the acceptableness of his person. — Thy name. 
In the Hebrew there is a resemblance in sound between the words 
signifying name and fragrant oil, Dt^ and [DK^, which forms 
what is called in Hebrew grammar a paronomasia, and accounts 
for the remark on the name of the lover. The meaning is, that 
such is the reputation of the lover, or the regard in which he is 
held, that the very mention of his name is as grateful as the fra- 
grance of perfumes just poured forth. Comp. Eccles. vii. 1. 

4. Draio me, &c. The maiden seeks some advances or en- 
couragement from the lover, and seems to represent that there was 
danger of the king's taking her to his harem. — will lead me. So, 
with Castalio and some others, I translate the verb ""J^'pn. It 
may be one of those cases in which the Hebrew preterite denotes 
certainty of future action. See Gesenius's Gram. § 124, 4. — We 
will praise, &c. The maiden speaks of herself and her female 
companions. 

5. — of Kedar : the name of an Arabian tribe, probably so 
called from being descended from Kedar, the son of Ishmael, Gen. 
XXV. 13. The tents of the Bedouin Arabs are said by many travel- 
lers quoted by Harmer, Observ. xxiii., to be still covered with black 
goat's-hair cloth. D'Arvieux says, " The Arabs have no other 
lodgings but their tents, which they call houses. They are all 
black, of goat's-hair canvass, w^hich the women weave and spin 
too." Travels in Arabia, ch. xii., p. 181. — curtains of Solomon : 
i. e. of Solomon's tent. That persons of distinction often made 
use of tents for pleasure may be seen in Harmer's Observations, 
xxviii. Such tents w^ere often very splendid and costly. See 
Robinson's Calmet, Art. Tent. In regard to the comparison, the 
meaning evidently is, that the maiden is black as the tents of 
Kedar, but comely as the curtains of Solomon. Harmer quotes 
from D'Arvieux, Voy. dans la Palest., p. 214, a passage which 
illustrates the injury to her beauty which the maiden had sufi^ered 
by exposure to the sun. " The princesses and the other Arab 
ladies, whom they showed me from a private place of the tent, ap- 
peared to me beautiful and well shaped ; one may judge by these, 
and by what they told me of them, that the rest are no less so ; 



THE CANTICLES. 269 

they are very fair, because they are always kept from the sun. 
The women in common are extremely sunburnt, besides the brown 
and swarthy color which they naturally have." See Harmer's Out- 
lines, &c., ad loc. 

6. Gaze not^ &c. Addressed to the daughters of Jerusalem, 
who are supposed to look with wonder upon her presumption, or 
to assume looks of surprise and doubt. — My mother's sons : i. e. 
my step-brothers. — My vineyard^ my own^ &c. : i. e. My most 
valued possession, my personal beauty, has been impaired by 
watching the vineyard of others. 

7. — like a veiled one. This is the most literal rendering and 
best supported by usage. It is in the margin of the common ver- 
sion. Sept. nsQi^aXXouhri. A veiled one denotes a harlot. See 
Gen. xxxviii. 15. The maiden expresses her fears, lest, if she 
should be obliged to go about seeking her lover, unacquainted with 
the place where he was pursuing his business, she might be taken 
for a harlot. The custom of reposing in the shade during the heat 
of noonday is thus referred to by Roberts, a missionary in Hin- 
dostan : — " Before noon the shepherds and their flocks may be 
seen slowly moving towards some shady tree, where they recline 
during the heat of the day." The custom was not confined to the 
East. Thus, Virgil, Georg. iii. 331 : — 

" -^stibus at mediis umbrosam exquirere vallem., 
Sicubi magna Jovis antiquo robore quercus 
Ingentes tendat ramos, aut sicubi nigrum 
Ilicibus crebris sacra nemus accubat umbra." 

8. If thou know not : i. e. where he is to be found, take care to 
feed thy kids by the tents of the shepherds, and he will readily be 
found there with his flock. In the simple style of pastoral poetry, 
the preparation for a meeting of the lovers at noon with their 
flocks is of sufficient importance to form the conclusion of the idyl. 
Some suppose that the lover is the speaker in this verse. 

9. To the horses^ &c. It seems to me, that ^riDp niay be re- 
garded as a collective noun with '» paragogic, as in Lam. i. 1, Is. 
i. 21. Otherwise, To my horse^ or horses. In this comparison the 
resemblance is founded on the splendor of the bride's dress and 
ornaments, as much as on her personal beauty. See the next 
verse. On this comparison Harmer remarks: — "If we may be- 
lieve Maillet, the horses of Egypt are remarkable for their beauty 
and stateliness, and are sent, as presents of great value, to the great 

23* 



270 NOTES. 

men of Constantinople, but that strangers cannot procure them, 
and that he himself, though consul-general, could obtain permis- 
sion to transport only two of them; and that it appears from the 
Old Testament they were not less valuable anciently, being eagerly 
sought for by the kings of Syria. 2 Chron. i. 17. On the other 
hand, I would remark, that the Eastern people are excessively at- 
tached to their horses, particularly the Arabs, who are fond of 
them as if they were children. D'Arvieux, in particular, gives a 
diverting account of the affectionate caresses an Arab used to give 
to a mare of his he had sold to a merchant at Rama ; when he 
came to see it (which was very frequently), he would weep over it 
for tenderness, kiss its eyes, and when he departed, go backwards, 
bidding it adieu in the most tender manner." It is also observed 
by Williams, that " The Easterns, so highly valuing their horses, 
spare no expense to ornament them with the most costly trappings 
of gold, enriched with pearls and precious stones ; and it is very 
observable that the Arabian and Turkish ladies decorate them- 
selves in a very similar manner, wearing rows of pearls or precious 
stones round the headdress and descending over their cheeks ; gold 
chains, also, upon their necks and bosoms." Williams ad loc. In 
Wilkinson's Manners and Customs of the Ancient Egyptians, 
Vol. I., p. 106, is a plate representing a royal chariot and horses. 
From the graceful appearance of the horses, and their gay and rich 
ornaments, one may conclude that the comparison of an Oriental 
lady in full dress to the horses in a royal chariot was not un- 
natural. Wilkinson says. Vol. I., p. 355, " On grand occasions, 
the Egyptian horses were decked with fancy ornaments ; a rich 
striped or checkered housing, trimmed with a broad border and 
large pendent tassels, covered the whole body, and two or more 
feathers, inserted in lions' heads or some other device of gold, 
formed a crest upon the summit of the headstall." Theocritus, 
speaking of Helen, makes a comparison somewhat similar, but less 
direct. Idyl. 18, 30, — aqiian QsooaXbg XnTrog. 

10. — thy cheeks. In Robinson's Calmet, p. 270, may be seen 
a representation of the dress of an Eastern lady, which illustrates 
this verse. "The Persian ladies," says Olearius, "make use of two 
or three rows of pearls, which are not worn there about the neck, 
as in other places, but round the head, beginning on the forehead 
and descending down the cheeks and under the chin, so that their 
faces seem to be set in pearls." Olearius, p. 818. D'Arvieux also 
describes the Arab women as wearing pieces of gold coin hanging 



THE CANTICLES. 271 

down by the sides of the face, and adds that they have chains of 
gold about their necks, which hang down their breasts. Jj3l Roque, 
Voy. dans la Pal., p. 219. See Harmer's Outlines, &c., p. 206. 

12. While the king reclines, &c. : literally, is in his circle: i. e. 
of friends. It is customary for the immediate attendants of an 
Oriental ruler to stand in a segment of a circle at a small distance 
before their lord, as he is seated in the corner of the divan. 1 Sam. 
xvi. 11, ** We will not sit down," is literally, *' We will not sur- 
round." It would seem to be too harsh a figure to suppose my 
spikenard to mean " my personal charms and graces," though such 
a supposition is favored by the next verse. See ch. iv. 12, 16. 

13. A bunch of myrrh : which was probably suspended from the 
neck by an elegant chain, as being the most fragrant of perfumes. 
" There was some inconsistency," says Gesenius, " in the accounts 
of the myrrh-bearing tree, until Ehrenberg discovered and de- 
scribed it. It is now called balsamodendron myrrha." The myrrh 
is a substance distilling in tears from a tree growing in Arabia, 
which tears harden into a bitter, aromatic gum, which was highly 
prized, and used in incense. — abide : he shall be cherished as 
the most fragrant perfume, which is constantly in the bosom. It 
is not so agreeable to the use of language to understand a bunch of 
the leaves or blossoms of the myrrh-tree to be denoted. For, in 
ch. V. 5, mention is made of the self-flowing myrrh, i.e. that which 
distils from the tree in its season, when it is not cut or punctured. 

14. — cypress-flowers. So with Good, Percy, Boothroyd, and 
others, I have rendered *^D3n. But the term is not properly a 
translation, but the Hebrew word with an English termination. 
Thus the Sept. has it rijg xvttqov • the Vulgate, cypri. It is not 
the cypress-tree, properly so called, but a tall shrub of a very diflfer- 
ent character. It is the Lawsonia iners of Linnaeus. The Arabic 
name of it is alhenna, or, without the article, henna; and as this 
name is becoming more known through the writings of modern 
travellers, perhaps it would have been better to translate the line, 
My beloved is to me a bunch of alhenna or henna-floicers, &c. The 
best description of it is given by Sonnini, who has also furnished 
an engraved representation of it. See Voyage dans la Haute et 
Basse Egypte, Tom. L, pp. 291 - 302. " The henna is a tall shrub, 
endlessly multiplied in Egypt ; the leaves are of a lengthened, oval 
form, opposed to each other, and of a faint green color. The 
flowers grow at the extremity of the branches, in long and tufted 
bouquets. In truth, this is one of the plants the most grateful to 



272 NOTES. 

both the sight and the smell. The gently deepish color of its bark, 
the light green of its foliage, the softened mixture of white and 
yellow, with which the flowers, collected into long clusters like 
the lilac, are colored, the red tint of the ramifications which sup- 
port them, form a combination of the most agreeable effect. These 
flowers, whose shades are so delicate, diffuse around the sweetest 
odors, and embalm the gardens and the apartments which they 
embellish; they accordingly form the usual nosegay of beauty ; the 
women take pleasure in decking themselves with these beautiful 
clusters of fragrance, in adorning their apartments with them, in 
carrying them to the bath, in holding them in their hand, in a 
word, in perfuming their bosom with them." See also Shaw's 
Works, Vol. I., p. 113, &c. It is by the powder obtained from 
the dried leaves of the henna, and diluted in water, that the Orien- 
tals tinge their nails and other parts of the body with a reddish or 
deep orange hue. See Lane's Modern Egyptians, Vol. I., p. 54 ; 
Robinson's Calmet, Art. Camphire. — Engedi : a city near the 
Dead Sea, fertile in vines and palm-trees. Pliny, Nat. Hist., v. 
17. 

15. — are doves. This rendering is certainly the most in con- 
formity with grammatical usage, and is that of the Septuagint ver- 
sion. It is adopted by Hodgson, Ewald, and others. The com- 
parison has reference to the brightness, beauty, and quick motion 
of the dove. So in ch. vii. 4, " Thine eyes are like the pools at 
Heshbon." So in the Gitagovinda, Part VII., as in Clarke's 
Commentary, " His passion was inflamed by the glances of her 
eyes, which played like a pair of water-birds with blue plumage, 
that sport near a full-blown lotos on a pool in the season of dew." 
In the same poem the eyes are frequently compared to blue water- 
lilies. And near the end occurs the sentence, — " Whence the 
antelopes of thine eyes may run down and sport at pleasure." 

17. — cedars^ &c. They were not in a house, but a grove, 
where the trunks and spreading heads of the cedars and the cy- 
presses are poetically called the beams and the roof of their cham- 
ber. Thus Milton, describing Adam's bower, — 

" The roof 
Of thickest covert was inwoven shade. 
Laurel and myrtle, and what higher grew 
Of firm and fragrant leaf" 

Par. Lost, iv. 692. 



THE CANTICLES. 273 

Ch. II. 1. — a harvest-flower^ &c. It is probable that a flower 
of the crocus species is denoted, namely, Colchicum autumnale^ 
a bulbous plant with large and delicate flowers of white and 
violet. This rendering is confirmed by the Syriac version, and 
by the etymology of the word. See Gesen. Thes. on nS;^:3n. 
The maiden does not mean to extol her personal charms, but rather 
to represent her beauty as nothing extraordinary. The flower 
arises immediately from the bulb upon a long, naked tube. A de- 
scription of the plant, with a colored representation of both the 
bulb and flower, may be seen in Woodville's Medical Botany, 
Vol. IV., p. 759. 

2. — lily among thorns. It is not implied that the lily grows 
among thorns, but that his love surpassed other women as much as 
the lily the thorn. 

3. — apple-tree. The corresponding word in Arabic denotes 
not only the apple, but orange, quince, citron, peach, and apricot 
trees. The Hebrew word may have been used in the same general 
sense. But perhaps the apple, though not so beautiful and fragrant 
as the citron-tree, may have had a poetic value from the compara- 
tive rarity which Forskall ascribes to it. An apple-tree, loaded 
with fruit among the barren trees of the wood, would be a sufficient 
foundation for the comparison. — shadow. It is to be recollected 
that shade is an essential article of Oriental luxury. Dr. Pococke 
tells us, " when he was at Sidon, he was entertained in a garden, 
in the shade of some apricot-trees, and the fruit of them was shaken 
upon him." Description of the East, Vol. II., p. 95. 

4. — banqueting'house : literally, house of wine. Comp. Esth. 
vii. 8. There seems, however, to be good reason for the opinion of 
Doederlein, who understands the expression, to lead to his hanqueting- 
house, in a figurative sense, as denoting that the beloved is, as it were, 
intoxicating the maiden with love. Compare a similar metaphor in 
Is. xxix. 9, li. 21. So Umbreit, and Gesenius, and Rosenmiiller, 
" Experiri me fecit dilectus mens, quam suavis sit." The verse fol- 
lowing seems to favor this explanation. — banner over ?7ie, &c. : i. e. 
I follow the banner or standard of love which my beloved holds up 
before me, as soldiers follow the standard of their commander and 
never desert it. — Strengthen me with raisins : or, more strictly, 
raisin-cakes. They are mentioned as delicacies with which the 
weary and languid are refreshed, in 2 Sam. vi. 19, 1 Chron. xvi. 3 ; 
also, as off'ered in sacrifice, Hos. iii. 1. The meaning, cakes, is ex- 
pressed in most of the ancient versions. 



274 NOTES. 

6. His left hand. In this situation the spouse is represented as 
reclining upon a divan, where she falls into a quiet slumber, sup- 
ported by her beloved. 

7. — By the gazelles. It is common for different classes to 
swear by that which is most dear to them ; the warrior by his 
sw^ord, the prophet by his soul, &c. ; so the daughters of Jerusalem 
are adjured by what is dear to them, namely, beauty, as it is mani- 
fested in the gazelles and the hinds. The Hebrew term denoting 
the gazelle originally denoted splendor^ or beauty ; and the animal 
is used by the Arabs, as well as the Hebrews, as the emblem of 
what is extremely elegant and beautiful. To be said to have the 
eyes of a gazelle is the highest compliment that can be paid to an 
Eastern lady. See Gesen. on ^^y. — nor awake, &c. " In the 
East," says Roberts, "it would be considered barbarous in the ex- 
treme to awake a person out of his sleep. How often, in going to the 
house of a native, you are saluted with, ' Nittera-kulla-karar,' i. e. 
' He sleeps.' Ask them to arouse him ; the reply is, ' Koodatha,' 
i. e. ' I cannot.' Indeed, to request such a thing show^s at once that 
you are a griffin, i. e. a new-comer. ' Only think of that ignorant 
Englishman ; he went into the house of our chief, and, being told 
he v^as asleep, made such a noise as to awake him, and then 
laughed at what he had done.' " 

8. The voice of my beloved, &c. Some suppose that these and 
the following words were the substance of a dream which the fair 
one had, in the sleep mentioned in the last verse. But it is a mere 
supposition, and wholly improbable. As there is no connection 
between the train of thought in this passage and the close of the 
last chapter, w^e conclude that it forms a distinct idyl or song. It 
adds to the liveliness of the description, that the fair one is repre- 
sented in a listening attitude, hearing the voice of her beloved be- 
fore he appears in sight. 

9. — gazelle, &c. " These animals are elegantly formed, ac- 
tive, restless, timid, shy, and astonishingly swift, running with vast 
bounds, and springing or leaping with surprising elasticity ; they 
frequently stop for a moment in the midst of their course to gaze at 
their pursuers, and then resume their flight." See Robinson's 
Calmet, Art. Antelope. 

12. — time of the singing, &c. As the word *i^jpT denotes 
cutting, or pruning, as well as singing, most of the ancient versions 
understand the line, "The time for pruning the vines has come." 
Gesenius also adopts this rendering. But the common rendering 



THE CANTICLES. 275 

is favored by the parallelism, the voice of the turtle^ i. e. the turtle- 
dove, &c., also by the circumstance that there is an allusion to the 
vine in the next verse. As to the objection, that 'T'DT, where it 
denotes singing elsewhere in the Old Testament, refers to the 
artificial singing of men, the answer is, first, that the singing of 
birds is not often referred to in the Old Testament by any expres- 
sion ; secondly, if it does usually denote the artificial singing of 
men, the term may yet be used in a figurative sense by a poet to 
denote the singing of birds. Nothing is more common in English 
poetry ; for instance, " woodi-notes wild," " the cock's shrill clarion^ 
— turtle^ &c. The turtle-dove is mentioned as a bird of passage^ 
Jer. viii. 7. Forskall, the companion of Niebuhr, mentions it as 
one of the birds of passage which appear at Alexandria about the 
end of April or beginning of May. See his Descriptio Animal.,. 

P- 9- 

13. — is spicing^ &c. The Hebrew term ntOJn is used in 
Gen. L 2, 3, 26, to denote the embalming of a dead body ; hence 
it seems to me more probable that it denotes here to fill with richy 
fragrant juice^ rather than, generally, to ripen. So Rosenmfiller, 

Umbreit, and De Wette. 

14. my dove, &c. Here the wild dove, which hides itself 
from birds of prey, or from the approach of man in cliffs of rocks, 
is used as an emblem of the fair one, unwilling to leave her house 
to meet her lover. See Jer. xlviii. 28, Hom. II. xxi. 494, Virg. 
JEn, V. 213. 

"H ^Lc -3^' V7i' i'o7jxog xoiXyjv dainraro 7r«To>;r, 
Xyjoajiiov ' ov d' aoa Ttj ys aXwiuvai aicfiuov >}«»'." 

"Qualis spelunca subito commota columba, 
Cui domus et dulces latebroso in pumice nidi," &c. 

15. Take ye for us the foxes, &c. The maiden having come 
forth to enjoy the spring, the vineyards, &c., it is natural for her 
now to give directions to have the vineyard made as pleasant as 
possible by the removal of noxious animals. A similar allusion to 
foxes is found in Theocritus, Idyl. v. 112 : — 

'* iHtOfcu rag daOV'/Aqy.ovg dXojTisxag, ai rd Mlxoivog 
jihi (fOLTajOai TO. Tio&ioTTiQa qayiLovrai.^* 

" I hate those brush-tailed foxes, that each night 
Spoil Mycon's vineyards with their deadly spite." 



276 NOTES. 

— now in blossom. Sept. y.vnqlLovai. So Gesenius, Umbreit, and 
Ewald. Cornp. ver. 13 and vii. 12. 

16. — He feeds, &c. The Hebrew verb nj^'n has the same 
ambiguity as the English feed. It may mean to feed a flock, as in 
ch. i. 7, or it may mean to feed one's self I am inclined to 
understand it of feeding a flock. Perhaps the flock may have been 
in an inclosure in the garden or park. It is a recommendation of 
the beloved to the maiden, that he is a gentle shepherd feeding his 
flock among the lilies. 

17. When the day Ireathes. This is understood by many of the 
morning. But the more recent commentators, as Gesenius and 
Rosenmuller, refer it to sunset or the evening. This is most 
probable. For a grateful, cool breeze is said to spring up at that 
time. At that time, too, the shadows flee away,^ i. e. continually 
lengthen themselves, till they are lost in the darkness of the night. 
So, Gen. iii. 8, the cool, literally, the breeze, of the day seems to 
be in contrast with the heat o^ the day, ch. xviii. 1. So here, after 
the still sultry heat, the day is said to breathe. The particle ix? 
here translated when, seems to be equivalent to ^tJ^^ ^^, ch. i. 12. 

— craggy mountains : literally, mountains of division : i. e. by a 
well known Hebraism, mountains divided or cut up, cleft, &c. So 
the Sept. oQrj xodo\uuTm', mountains of cavities. 

Ch. III. 1. This is evidently the beginning of a new song. 
There is no appearance of a dream ; and in ancient times a dream 
was regarded of so much importance, that the author would have 
mentioned it, if he had intended to describe one here. As to any 
thing inconsistent with probability or propriety, which some have 
alleged in favor of its being understood as a dream, or as an alle- 
gory, it appears to me that the author would not be more likely to 
violate probability or propriety in a poetic dream, or in an allegory, 
than in the ordinary products of his imagination. 

3. Have you seen him, &c. It is a natural circumstance, that 
the maiden takes it for granted that all the world knows the object 
of her attachment, though she does not mention his name. 

4. — into my mother's house, &c. Rosenmiiller says, — " It is 
improbable that a modest female among the Hebrews would do 
such a thing, and therefore it is to be understood allegorically." 
But it is as improbable that a Hebrew poet would represent a 
modest female as doing what is improper, for an allegorical purpose 
as for any other. The passage is obscure, indeed ; but the suppo- 



THE CANTICLES. 277 

sition of allegory does not make it clearer. Hodgson remarks on 
this verse, — " It hath been supposed that this poem was written 
by Solomon on his marriage with the daughter of Pharaoh. But 
this passage seems to prove that the person here married was not 
Pharaoh's daughter; for if she had been Pharaoh's daughter, her 
mother's house would have been in Egypt; whereas, this scene lies 
at Jerusalem ; for in the next line she addresses the daughters of 
Jerusalem, and desires them not to disturb her sleeping husband." 

Ch. III. 6 — 11. The design of this song is commonly supposed 
to be that of describing a nuptial procession, in which the bride of 
Solomon is led to the palace in company with himself, in his sedan, 
or carriage. 

6. Who is this, &c. The poet speaks, or perhaps a choir of the 
daughters of Jerusalem. — from the wilderness. "^STO denotes 
not merely a desert, but what we call the country, in distinction 
from the city. See Gesen. Lex. Otherwise, from the wilderness 
may denote that the person was coming from the direction of 
the wilderness. — pillars of smoke. It is commonly supposed 
that the slender and graceful form of the bride, gradually increasing 
in tallness as she came nearer, is compared to the light and beauti- 
ful column of smoke which ascends from a burning censer of in- 
cense. Mercier observes that " it is a tradition of the Jews, that 
the smoke of incense should go up perpendicularly, and that artists 
were called from Alexandria to make the smoke of incense ascend 
as straight as possible." He does not give his authority. But as 
the sedan of Solomon is mentioned in the next verse, is it probable 
that the bride was on foot.'* Is it not more probable that the dust 
caused by the approach of the sedan and its attendants is compared 
to columns of smoke ? Or, might not the pillars of smoke actually 
ascend from censers borne in front of the procession ? " The use 
of perfumes at Eastern marriages is common, and upon grand occa- 
sions very profuse. Not only are the garments scented, till, in the 
Psalmist's language, they smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia, but it 
is customary for virgins to meet and lead the procession with silver- 
gilt pots of perfumes ; and sometimes even the air around is ren- 
dered fragrant by the burning of aromatics in the windows of all 
the houses in the streets through which the procession is to pass. 
In the present instance, so liberally were these rich perfumes burnt, 
that at a distance a pillar or pillars of smoke arose from them ; and 
the perfume was so rich, as to exceed in value and fragrancy all the 
24 



278 NOTES. 

powders of the merchant." Williams. Nothing is said of the 
bride. It is possible, then, that Solomon alone may have been in 
the carriage. — powders : i. e. aromatic powders. 

7. — carriage : i. e. a kind of open vehicle, now usually called 
a palanquin, in which the great men of the East are carried, some- 
times upon elephants or camels, and at other times on men's shoul- 
ders. Niebuhr says, a palanquin completely ornamented with silver, 
covered with rich stuffs, and suspended on a handsome bamboo, will 
cost about two hundred pounds sterling. Travels, Vol. II., p. 410. 

10. — hij a lovely one. See ch. ii. 7, iii. 5. So Doederlein and 
Ewald. 

11. — In the crown^ &c. It was usual w^ith many nations to 
put crowns or garlands on the heads of new-married persons. The 
Mishna informs us that this custom prevailed among the Jews; and 
it seems, from the passage before us, that the ceremony of putting 
it on was performed by one of the parents. Among the Greeks, 
the bride was crowned by her mother, as appears from the instance 
of Iphigenia, in Euripides, ver. 894. " In the Greek Church in 
Egypt," says Maillet, " the parties are placed before a reading-desk 
on which is the book of the Gospels having two crowns upon it of 
flowers, cloth, or tinsel. The priest, after benedictions and prayers, 
places one on the bridegroom's, the other on the bride's head, cov- 
ering both with a veil." See RosenmQller, Alten und neues Mor- 
genland, Vol. IV., p. 196. Selden's Uxor Hebraica, Lib. II., cap. 15. 

Ch. IV. — V. 1. This canticle seems to include ch. iv. and the 
first verse of ch. v. It appears to contain a lover's praise of his 
mistress, and her replies. 

1. — behind thy veil. So Hafiz : "Thy cheeks sparkle even 
under thy veil." Sir W. Jones's Works, Vol. I., p. 453. Another 
Persian poet says, — " It is difficult to gaze upon the sun without 
the medium of a cloud. View, therefore, O Saieb, the lovely face 
of thy mistress through her veil." Orient. Coll., Vol. II., p. 23. 
— flock of goats, &c. Her hair was black and thick, like a flock 
of goats showing itself on the top of a mountain to one in the dis- 
tance below. 

2. — teeth : for whiteness, brightness, fulness, and soundness, 
they are compared to a shorn flock just coming clean from the 
washing-place. 

3. — divided pomegranate : which, in its prime, says Rosen- 
maller, has a beautiful red color, i. e. when cut in two, equalling or 



THE CANTICLES. 279 

surpassing that of the rose. So Camoens, Lusiad, Cant. ix. 59, as 
translated by Mickle, — 

"The pomegranate of orange hue, 
Whose open heart a brighter red displays 
Than that which sparkles in the ruby's blaze." 

4. — the tower of David : which was probably built of white 
marble, high and elegant. Upon the outside of towers it was the 
custom to hang shields, probably as a terror to enemies. See Ezek. 
xxvii. 10, 11. To the splendid shields and arms with which the 
tower of David was adorned, are compared the necklaces and 
jewels which adorned the neck of the maiden. 

5. — gazelles. See the note on ch. ii. 7. Probably the refer- 
ence is to their general beauty and loveliness. 

6. — day breathes, &c. See the note on ch. ii. 17. — moun- 
tain of myrrh, &c. It is said of Pompey the Great, that, when he 
passed over Lebanon and by Damascus, he passed through sweet- 
smelling groves and woods of frankincense and balsam. Florus, 
Epitome Rerum Rom., Lib. III., c. 6. " Per nemora ilia odorata, 
per thuris et balsami sylvas." This quotation is brought to show, 
not that the bride was actually on a hill of myrrh, &c., but that 
such hills of myrrh and incense were supposed to exist, and might 
afford a subject for comparison. The bride seems to be here com- 
pared, in respect to her general charms, to a mountain of myrrh, 
&c., to whom the lover says he will return, as the antelope flies to 
the mountain. So Ewald. So some of the Eastern poets represent 
angels as having bodies of amber and musk. Thus, the poet Assadi 
says, — " Feridoun and Farrakh were not angels ; their bodies 
were made neither of amber nor musk ; it was their justice and 
liberality that made them celebrated." See Harmer's Outlines, 
p. 290. Grotius, who is followed by Dr. Good, supposes the com- 
parison to be somewhat more definite, referring to her bosom alone. 
" Sic vocat mammas ob suavissimum odorem." Grot. The mean- 
ing may be, however, that the lover would return to the place 
where she was, where the odor of her charms was diffused. So 
Doederlein. 

8. Come with me from Lebanon, &c. Verses 8 and 9 seem to be 
introduced very abruptly, and their import in this connection is not 
very obvious. Doederlein and others suppose them to be an invi- 
tation to the bride to take an excursion with him, in order that they 
might admire together all that was grand and beautiful in scenery. 



280 NOTES. 

Others suppose them to be an invitation to the maiden to come 
from a place of danger to a place of complete security in the arms 
of her lover. 

9. — taken captive my heart: literally, hearted me : according to 
the English idiom to skin, for to take off the skin. — sister : a term 
of endearment. So the Romans. Comp. Tibull. 3, 1, 26. — one 
of thine eyes. How powerful must be both united, when only one 
does such execution ! Comp. ch. vi. 5. It has been remarked, 
that, " supposing the royal bridegroom to have had a profile, or 
side view, of his bride in the present instance, only one eye, or one 
side of her necklace, would be observable ; yet this charms and 
overpowers him." Probably, however, the Hebrew poet intended 
what others mean to express by one glance of the eye, &c. Parallel 
passages might be quoted from many Eastern poets. The song of 
Ibrahim says, — "One dart from your eyes has pierced though 
my heart." And, in the songs of Gitagovinda, we find one ac- 
knowledging himself " bought as a slave by a single glance from 
thine eye, and a toss of thy disdainful eyebrow." Asiat. Re- 
search., Vol. HI., p. 203. Tertullian, however, mentions a custom 
in the East of women unveiling only one eye in conversation, 
while they keep the other covered; and Niebuhr mentions a similar 
custom as prevailing in some parts of Arabia. Travels in Arabia, 
Vol. I., p. 262. 

11. Thy lips, Slc. Here the sweetness of her voice rather than 
her kisses is denoted. Comp. Prov. v. 3. So, Horn. II. i. 249, — 

" Tov xat uTio y?.(oaar]g jiit?urog yXvxLUJV Qhv avdtj,^' 
And Theocritus, viii. 82 : — 

" *^^Jt; TL TO aroiia roi, xat a(ptusQog, id Jacpvi^ (pvovd' 
KqIooov ^isXtioiisvoj rsv axovUiav rj usXl Xii/iiv.^^ 

12. Jl garden inclosed, &c. The bride is compared to a fragrant 
garden, a refreshing spring, in respect to her charms, — and to a 
garden inclosed, a fountain sealed, in respect to her chastity and 
fidelity. That fountains or wells, as well as gardens, were some- 
times locked up in the East, see Harmer, Obs., Vol. I., p. 113. That 
this kind of distant imagery is common in the East appears from 
the following passages :—■" Feirouz, a vizier, having divorced his 
wife upon suspicion of infidelity, her brothers apply for redress in 
the following figurative lermg : ' My lord, we have rented to Fei- 
rouz a most delightful garden, a terrestrial paradise ; he took pos- 
session of it, encompassed it with high walls, and planted it with 



THE CANTICLES. 281 

the most beautiful trees that bloomed with flowers and fruit. He 
has broken down the walls, plucked the tender flowers, devoured 
the finest fruit, and would now restore us this garden robbed of 
every thing that contributed to render it delicious when we gave 
him admission to it.' " Miscell. of Eastern Learning, Vol. I., p. 12. 
In a famous Persian romance, a princess assures her husband of 
her fidelity in his absence in these terms: — "The jewels of the 
treasury of secrecy are still the same as they were, and the casket 
is sealed with the same seal." Bahur Danush, Vol. III., p. 65. 
See Williams's Sol. Song, p. 278. See also Prov. v. 18. 

13. Thy plants : or shoots. I do not understand this of children, 
as do most of the commentators, but of the graces and charms of 
the bride. In the last verse she was compared to a garden. In 
pursuance of the same metaphor, her charms are compared to 
odoriferous plants. — Alhenna^ &c. See the note on ch. i. 14. 

15. A fountain of the gardens : i. e. a spring that waters many 
gardens. 

16. Awake^ north wind, &c. By calling on the north wind 
at the same time with the south, the maiden expresses the wish 
that the united influence of the principal winds that blew might 
shake the plants and cause the fragrance of the garden to be ex- 
haled and diffused. Having been compared to a garden, she says, 
in substance, " O that the garden were more fragrant," &c. 

Ch. V. 1. — drink abundantly, my beloved. The Hebrew ad- 
mits quite as well of the rendering, drink abundantly of love, or 
make yourselves drunk with love. So King James's translators in 
the margin. But the parallelism and the connection seem most 
favorable to the common version. 

Ch. V. 2 — VI. 3. The circumstances introduced into this piece 
are undoubtedly imaginary ; but I perceive no decisive indication 
that the poet designs to narrate a dream. There is considerable 
resemblance between this piece and the third ode of Anacreon, 
beginning, Msoowxrloig no^' wqaig. 

2. / slept, (fee. The meaning is, that though the body was 
asleep, yet the mind was awake and filled with the object of her 
aflfection, so that she heard and recognized the knock of her be- 
loved as soon as it was given. 

3. / have taken off my vest. The frivolous and coquettish ex- 
cuses which she gives for not welcoming her lover are here repre- 
sented. She had prepared herself, and yet pretended she did not 

24* 



282 NOTES. 

like to rise. — vest: i. e. the inner garment, worn next the skin, 
commonly with sleeves, reaching to the knees. 

4. — hy the hole of the door^ &c. Le Clerc has a long and 
learned note on the ancient mode of fastening a door. In this case, 
the door was probably secured by a crossbar or bolt, which at night 
was fastened by a little button or pin. In the upper part of the 
door was left a round hole, through which any person from without 
might thrust his arm and remove the bar, unless the security of 
the pin were superadded. 

5. — self-flowing myrrh : i. e. that which spontaneously flows 
from the tree, without cutting or puncturing the bark. This was 
considered the most valuable kind. The myrrh which dropped 
from her hands was that which her beloved had left upon the 
wooden bar of the door. This may be understood figuratively, that 
the moisture of the beloved's hands wet with dew was like fra- 
grant myrrh, perfuming every thing which came in contact with it; 
or, a custom may have prevailed in the East similar to that which 
is mentioned by Lucretius, iv. 1171 : — 

" At lacrymans exclusus amator limina ssepe 
Floribus et sertis operit, postesque superbos 
Unguit Amaracino, et foribus miser oscula figit." 

6. / was not in my senses : literally. My soul was gone from me. 
The meaning most suited to the connection is, that she acted in- 
sanely in not admitting her beloved at his request. It seems to 
denote that bewilderment of the faculties caused by fear, as in Gen. 
xlii. 28, or by any other passion ; here, by the passion of love. 

7. The watchmen — wounded me, &c. : i. e. treated me as a 
lewd, abandoned woman. The same thing is intimated by taking 
away the veil, in the next line. Comp. Is. xxii. 8, Nahum iii. 5. 
So Hafiz, in a passage quoted by Dr. Good, speaking of the wife of 
Potiphar under the name of Zuleikhah, — 

" Led captive by the victor charms 
O'er Joseph's face that play. 
Her veil of chastity at length 
Zuleikhah flings away." 

11. — fine gold : referring to general splendor and beauty. So 
Theocritus, Idyl. iii. 28, speaks of the golden Helen. — palm- 
branches. So in Amrolkais, Moallakah, ver. 33, quoted by Rosen- 
mttller, a lover describes the hair of his mistress, — " Et capilli, 



THE CANTICLES. 283 

qui lergum ornant, nigri, carbonis instar, densi sicut racemi palmae 
implicili." Any one who will look at a good representation of the 
palm-tree, for instance that in the work of Laborde on x\rabia 
Petraea, will perceive a foundation for this comparison. 

12. — Washed with milk. This is commonly supposed to denote 
their milk-white color. In Job xxix. 6, to wash the steps in milk 
denotes to have great abundance of it ; and we are told by Roberts, 
the missionary, that to be washed with milk is now a proverb in 
Hindostan, denoting to be in a good and happy condition. See 
Roberts. But the former explanation seems most suitable to this 
passage. — dwelling in fulness. fii^Sp"'?;? fit 13 ^^ I have ren- 
dered this phrase literally, as I regard the meaning as quite doubt- 
ful. It seems to me most probable that it refers to the pigeons, and 
not to their eyes, and illustrates their plump appearance, arising 
from their dwelling near full streams or full fields. The translation 
of the common version seems harsh and forced. It supposes an 
allusion to a diamond set in the foil of a ring, denoting that the 
eyes are neither too much depressed nor too prominent, but well 
filling the sockets. See the note on ch. i. 15. 

13. — a bed of balsam. Thus paraphrased by Bishop Patrick: — 
"The lovely down upon his cheeks is no less grateful ; rising there 
like spices when they first appear out of their beds ; or like the young 
buds of aromatic flowers, in the paradise before described ; where 
the purple lilies are not more beautiful than his lips, from w^hence 
flow words more precious and more pleasant than the richest and 
most fragrant myrrh." The dropping of the lips may, however, 
refer to the sweet breath. Sadi, the Persian poet, describing a 
young man, says, — " He had just arrived at the opening blossom of 
youth, and the down had but newly spread itself over the flower of 
his cheek." Sulivan's Fables from Gulistan, p. 3, quoted by Wil- 
liams ad loc. It is possible, however, that there may be some ref- 
erence to the beard, which was regarded with almost religious rev- 
erence in the East. D'Arvieux says, in ch. vii. of his Travels in 
Arabia, — " One of the principal ceremonies in important visits is 
to throw some sweet water upon the beard, and then to perfume it 
with the smoke of lignum aloes, that sticks to this moisture and 
gives it an agreeable smell." And, in the same chapter, — " The 
women kiss their husband's beards, and the children their father's, 
when they go to salute them ; the men kiss one another's recipro- 
cally, when they salute one another in the streets, or are come 
from some journey." 



284 NOTES. 

14. His hands are gold rings. This comparison has reference 
to the general beauty of his hands and fingers, and the brilliancy of 
their ornaments. Some suppose there is a reference to the nails, 
stained with henna, according to the custom of the Arabians. 
See the note on ch. i. 14. — sapphires. The Oriental sapphire is 
transparent, of a fine sky-color, sometimes variegated with veins of 
a white sparry substance, and distinct, separate spots of a gold color. 
Hence the prophet describes the throne of God as like sapphire ; 
Ezek. i. 26, x. 1. Pliny, Nat. Hist, xxxvii. 9, says, — '^ Coeruleis, 
interdum cum purpura, qusB et aureis punctis collucent, ac coeli spe- 
ciem referunt." 

15. — like Lebanon. In the manly dignity of his appearance 
he is compared to the beautiful but majestic Lebanon, with its proud 
cedars. Volney says, in his description of Lebanon, Travels, Vol. I,, 
p. 293, — " At every step we meet with scenes in which nature dis- 
plays either beauty or grandeur." — like the cedars : i. e. preeminent 
among men as the cedars among the trees of the forest. Gabriel 
Sionita, quoted by Dr. Harris, in his Nat. Hist, of the Bible, says, 
— " The cedar grows on the most elevated part of the mountain, 
is taller than the pine, and so thick that five men together could 
scarcely fathom one." 

16. His mouth : literally, his palate : which many suppose to be 
used as the instrument of speech, as in Prov. viii. 7, Job xxxi. 30. 
But, comparing the word with ch. vii. 9 (10), it seems quite as 
probable that it is a euphemism, denoting the moisture or saliva of 
a kiss. See Gesen. Thes. on "nn, and the note on ch. vii. 9. It 
is the same word as is here in the common version rendered mouth, 
and in ch. vii. 9, roof of his mouth. 

Ch. VI. 4. — Tirzah. The v/ord itself denotes pleasantness, 
a name given to a city which was the capital of the kingdom of 
Israel from the time of Jeroboam to that of Omri. It was probably 
beautiful in regard to its situation, as well as its buildings. — as 
Jerusalem. So, Lam. ii. 15, "Is this the city that men called the 
perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth .^ " — terrible 
as an army, &c. Comp. ch. ii. 4. The loved one is represented 
as conquering, wounding, taking captive the hearts of lovers with 
her eyes, &c. The idea is carried out in the next verse. So 
Anacreon, Ode ii. : — 

^'' JTwai^lv ovy. tr' d/sv. 
Tl ovv ; didcaaL xuV.og 



THE CANTICLES. 285 

^u4vt' honldajv uttccOcov, 

Kal 7TVQ y.aXt] rig ovoa.'* 
And again, Ode xvi. : — 

" Ov;^^ Xnnog ojXsasv jiis, 

Ov 71 a Log^ ovx't- vfjsg * 
Zrqarog Se xairog cckkog, 
^^4ti:' duudrojv us i^uAAwi." 

In the same way, the Arabian poets compare the eyes of virgins to 
swords and darts, their eyebrows to bows, &c., with which they 
wound and kill. In fact, the same representation is common to all 
languages. Cupid is armed with his bow and arrow. And yet 
Dr. Good makes the tasteless remark, that the epithet terrible is 
obviously inappropriate, and gives the term ^'^."*^5 the forced mean- 
ing, dazzling. 

5-7. See ch. iv. 1-3. 

8. — queens, — concubines, — maidens. Solomon is said, in 
1 Kings xi. 3, to have had seven hundred wives and three hundred 
concubines. Hence, some, who regard this piece as written by 
Solomon, suppose it to have been written at an earlier period of 
his reign than that referred to in Kings. Rosenmttller, however, 
supposes an indefinite use of numbers, and this seems most probable. 

9. — the one : i.e. the matchless one. For this use of the term 
nnx, see Ezek. vii. 5, and Gesen. Lex. ad verb. 

10. — like the morning. So, Theocritus, Idyl, xviii. 26, — 

" ^^4ci}g avTiXXoioa xaXov SifcpaivB rcQuaooTiov, 
Uorvia rv^ arsy Xsvxhv £aQ /Biawvog avhrog, 
' S2Ss xai a ^Qvosa ''EXh-a discpaLvsr' iv u^utV." 

— as the moon. So, in Lane's Arabian Nights, Vol. I., p. 29, — 
" When I beheld her, I thought that the moon had descended to 
the earth." 

12. — made me like the chariots, &c. The meaning seems to 
be, that her strong desire conveyed her thither as swift as the 
chariots, &c. 

13. Return, return. This seems to be spoken by a chorus of 
women who regretted her speedy departure. — *^s upon a dance 
of the hosts : i. e. with eyes as fixed and earnest, as upon some 
very uncommon exhibition or spectacle. This may be the Ian- 



286 NOTES. 

guage of one of the company. As to what is meant by a dance of 
the hosts, it is difficult to form a decided opinion ; Gesenius, who 
is followed by De Wette, supposes the angelic host to be denoted, 
to whom dancing is ascribed, as elsewhere singing. Comp. Gen. 
xxxii. 2, Job xxxviii. 7. 

Ch. VII. 1. — sandals. How important an article of dress 
were sandals to an Eastern lady is shown in Judith xvi. 9, where 
we read that the sandals of Judith ravished the eyes of Holo- 
phernes. — neck ornaments : i. e. bosses or knobs, of which a 
necklace was composed. She is also represented as xaXXiTivyog. 

2. — the spiced wine : mentioned merely to set oiF the beauty 
and richness of the cup. — heap of wheat, &c. Perhaps a heap 
of wheat enclosed with lilies was chosen as an illustration, not 
merely for its appearance, but as an emblem of fertility. " Wheat 
and barley," says Selden, " were, among the ancient Hebrews, em- 
blems of fertility } and it was usual for standers-by to scatter these 
grains upon the married couple, with a wish that they might in- 
crease and multiply." Uxor Hebraica, Lib, II., cap. 15. It has 
been conjectured that the heaps of wheat were, during the joyous 
time of harvest, covered with flowers, especially with lilies. 

4. — ivory. So a neck of ivory, IXsifurTLvog rou/riXog, is as- 
cribed by Anacreon to Bathyllus, Ode xxix. — pools at Heshhon : 
i.e. moist, dark, and bright. Burckhardt thus speaks of the remains 
of this city : — "At six hours and a quarter [from El Aal, probably 
the Elealeh of the Scriptures] is Hesbon, upon a hill bearing south- 
west from El Aal. Here are the ruins of a large ancient town, 
together with the remains of some edifices built with small stones ; 
a few broken shafts of columns are still standing, a number of wells 
cut in the rock, and a large reservoir of water for the summer sup- 
ply of the inhabitants." Travels, p. 365. — tower of Lebanon. 
The nose may have been compared to that tower for its height, 
straightness, and good proportions. The allegorists suppose that 
the tower-like nose denotes the judgment and discernment of the 
doctors of the church. 

5. — Carmel : with its beautiful and verdant summit of oaks 
and pines. See the article in Robinson's Calmet under this word, 
with its copious extracts from Oriental travellers. Comp. Is. xxxv. 
2. — like purple. As there can be little doubt of the correctness 
of this translation, I suppose the point of comparison is the glossy 
brightness of the locks, rather than the color of them. Black was 
the beautiful color for the hair. 



THE CANTICLES. 287 

7. — palm-tree. This tree received its name ^nil from its 
Straight, upright growth. It is one of the loftiest of trees, some- 
times rising to the height of a hundred feet. It is one of the most 
celebrated trees in the world for its beauty and its uses. — dates : 
the fruit of the palm-tree which grows in clusters below the leaves. 
See Harris's Nat. Hist., &c., or Robinson's Calmet. 

9. — that goes down smoothly, &c. See Prov. xxiii. 31. That 
the maiden or spouse speaks here, taking up the thread of the dis- 
course, is evident from the fact that "''in, my beloved, which occurs 
often in the Canticles, is always applied to the man, never to the 
maiden. — Flowing over the lips, &c. So, in Lane's Arabian Nights, 
Vol.11., p. 561, — "The moisture of his mouth is like pleasant 
wine, that would cool me when a fire flameth within me." Geseni- 
us, in his Thesaurus on the word 3^1, thus translates and com- 
ments : — ^^ Palatum tuum est instar vini tZwZczV (significatur saliva 
palati) recta fluens ad suavium meum, perreptans labia una dormien- 
tium (in eodem toro cubantium). Vereor enim ne recte ita inter- 
pretati sini Driessenius in Dissert. Lugd. p. 1101, &c., et Michae- 
lis in Suppl. p. 385, de basio nimirum impudico, neque magis hujus 
in vetere carmine amatorio mentionem mireris, quam paulo ante 
(vii. 8) explendse libidinis. Salivam ab osculantibus imbibendam 
crebris sermonibus et figuris usurpant Arabes, v. Hug ad Cant, 
p. 49, V. d. Sloot ad Carm. Togr. p. 134, Ibn Doreid, pp. 113, 114, 
Scheid. cf. Saad. apud Aben Esram ad Cant. i. 2." See also 
Rosenmtiller ad loc. 

11. Come, my beloved, &c. It is doubtful whether a new piece 
commences here, or whether what follows to ch. viii. 5, is a part of 
the preceding canticle. The passage reminds us of one in Milton, 
Par. Lost, iv. 610 ; — 

" To-morrow, ere fresh morning streak the east 
With first approach of light, we must be risen. 
And at our pleasant labor, to reform 
Yon flowery arbours, yonder alleys green ; 
— Those blossoms also, and those dropping gums, 
That lie bestrown unsightly and unsmooth. 
Ask riddance." 

13. — love-apples. Such is the etymological signification of the 
word, which was given to this fruit from its supposed properties. 
See Gen. xxx. 14, &c. The fruit is that of the mandragora 
(Atropa mandragora of Linnaeus). Gesenius thus describes the 



288 NOTES. 

plant : — "It has large leaves, like those of a beet, a root like that 
of a turnip, divided at the lower part, and somewhat resembling the 
human form ; used in the preparation of love-potions, having white 
and reddish blossoms, yellow and fragrant apples, which may be 
eaten, about the size of a small egg, ripening from May to July, 
and to which the Orientals in ancient and modern times ascribe an 
efficacy in increasing philoprogenitiveness and fruitfulness." See 
Gesen. Thesaurus on the word n^i'H, and the numerous authorities, 
ancient and modern, to which he refers. See also Harris's Nat. 
Hist, and Robinson's Calmet. — kept them for thee, &c. So 
Virgil, Eel. i. 37 : — 

" Mirabar, quid, moesta, deos, Amarylli, vocares, 
Cui pendere sua patereris in arbore poma. 
Tityrus hinc aberat." 

Ch. Vni. 1. — as my brother : i. e. as a little infant child, 
whom she might caress in public as well as in private without im- 
propriety. 

2. — teach me : i. e. how to please thee, &c. 

5. Who is this, &c. This is probably the language of the poet ; 
or it may be supposed to be the language of a choir. — from the 
wilderness: i. e. the country, in distinction from the city. — I ex- 
cited thy love: i. e. inspired thee with affection to me. This took 
place under the apple-tree, which has been regarded as peculiarly 
the tree of love. The following is the note of Rosenmiiller : — 
" Cydoniam malum apud alios quoque populos amoribus dicatam 
fuisse, observat Celsius, Hierobot., P. I. p. 263. * Apud ^gyp- 
tios connubii symbolum fuit. ZvyLrjg ov^i^oXov TraipLrjg, Veneris jugoi 
tesseram, appellat Arabicus in Epigrammate. Nempe Veneri, ut 
Dearum formosissimae, a Paride addictum fuit. Venus igitur in 
statuis cydonium dextr^ gerit. Cupidines ex hortis malorum pri- 
mitias legunt, illisque ludunt. 01 ^ih yao Sloc rov fulXov TVULLovreg 
7i66ov aqxovrai, nam qui pomo ludunt, amoris initium faciunt, dicit 
Philostratus Icon. L. I. p. 738. Hinc to urjXo^oXsLv, malis petere, 
malum mittere, malum dare, loquutiones frequentes apud Graecos 
et Romanos. Vid. Theoc. Idyll, iii. 10, v. 88, vi. 6, Virg. Eclog. 
iii. 64, Aristophanis Scholiastes Nub. p. 180. Mr^Xo^oXsiv sksyov 
TO iig a(pQodiaia SeXsutsLv, ijiel y.at to ^lyjXov ^AcfQoSilryjg lorlv Ieqov 
malis petere dicebant ad venerea incitare, quippe malus Veneri est 
dicata' " — brought thee forth, &c. So the Sept. MdivriOe os. The 
meaning seems to be explained by the ophiion referred to in the 



THE CANTICLES. 289 

preceding note, namely, that the apple-tree is the tree of love. Thus 
the birth of the lover under the apple-tree would indicate his power 
of gaining the love of women. So Apollo is represented as born 
under a palm-tree. Some suppose that ^inS^ri may be rendered 
pledged thee. This would remove a difficulty, but it does not seem 
to be supported by Hebrew usage. See Gesenius on S^H. 

6. — set me as a seal^ &c. This denotes intimate, inviolable 
union. Thus, in Jeremiah xxii. 24 : — 

" As I live, saith Jehovah, 
Thou Coniah, son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, 
Though thou wert the signet upon my right hand. 
Even thence would I pluck thee." 

Signet rings were worn by the Orientals not only upon the fingers, 
but on the bosom, suspended by an ornamental chain from the 
neck, &c. See RosenmOl. Alt. und Neues Morgenl., I. p. 183, 
and IV., p. 190. — True love: HJ^^p, rendered jealousy in the 
common version, denotes any ardent feeling. See Gesen. ad verb. 
It is evident from the parallelism and from the connection, that it 
is here used simply as an intensive term for love in the preceding 
line. Love is strong, like death, inasmuch as it conquers all ; and 
it is firm, like the grave, which never relaxes its hold on its 
tenants. 

7. Many waters^ &c. Love is compared to fire in the preceding 
verse. In accordance with this, it is added that water cannot 
quench it. — for love : i. e. to induce one to give up the love she 
has for a particular person, and transfer it to another. 

8 — 12. The subject of this little piece seems to b« a conver- 
sation between two worldly-wise brothers, relating to the marriage 
of their sister, together with her remarks. That the guardianship 
of females in regard to marriage belonged to their brothers, in the 
East, in ancient times, may be inferred from Gen. xxiv. 50, xxxiv. 
13, Judges xxi. 22. 

8. — spoken for : i. e. asked in marriage. 

9. If she be a wall : i. e. if she be inaccessible, unwilling to re- 
ceive suitors, or to be married. — a silver tower. Rosenmttller 
supposes the meaning to be, " we will ask a high dowry for her." 
That portions were paid to the father for the daughter, in the East, 
is well known. Thus, Jacob served seven years for each of his 
wives. So it is in modern times. " They bargain," says D'Ar- 

25 



290 NOTES. 

vieux, " about the price of the daughter, which the son-in-law is to 
pay his new father in camels, sheep, or horses. A young fellow 
that has a mind to marry must in good earnest buy him a wife ; 
and fathers among the Arabs are never happier than when they 
have abundance of daughters. They are the principal riches in a 
family ; accordingly, when a bachelor is treating with the person 
whose daughter he is desirous of marrying, he says to him, ' Will 
you give me your daughter for fifty sheep, for half a dozen camels, 
or for a dozen cows? ' &c. If he is not in circumstances for making 
such offers as these, he proposes to him to give him her for a mare 
or colt, all, in short, according to the girl's merit, the condition of 
her family, and the income of the intended bridegroom." Travels, 
p. 230, English translation. But perhaps the meaning of building 
a silver tower upon the wall may be simply that the brothers would 
adorn the sister with silver, in reward for her modesty. — an 
open gate : i. e. very desirous of being married, and give a very 
ready reception to a suitor. — with doors of cedar : i. e. we will 
take care to keep her in strict confinement, so that access to her 
shall be difficult. 

10. — shall I he in his eyes, &c. The future tense seems to be 
required by verse 8, " She is yet without breasts." The idea of 
the sister seems to be, that, by modesty and difficulty of access 
to others, she shall the more surely win the favor of her accepted 
suitor. Perhaps the expression, as one that finds peace, may be a 
continuation of the preceding metaphor ; the suitor being the be- 
sieger of the wall and towers. 

11. Solomon had a vineyard, &c. The vineyard of Solomon, 
from which he received a great income, seems to be brought in 
simply by way of contrast to that which the sister regarded as her 
own vineyard, namely, her beauty or her person ; comp. ch. i. 6 ; 
and to express the idea, that Solomon was welcome to his income, 
but that from her vineyard she did not wish for a pecuniary in- 
come. She would give her love for love, not for money. 

12. My vineyard is before my eyes : i. e. I will not let it out to 
others, but keep it under my own inspection and care. 

13. 14. These two verses seem to form a fragment. So far as 
any general meaning is conveyed by them, it seems to be, that a 
lover desires a song of his mistress, but is refused and sent away. 

13. Friends, &c. : i. e. my friends who are with me wait to 
hear thy voice. Otherwise, thy friends constantly hear it ; let me 
hear it too. 



Published by the author of this volume, and for sale 
by James Munroe & Company, 134, Washington Street, 
Boston : — 

1. A New Translation of the Book of Job, with an 
Introduction and Notes, chiefly explanatory. Second Edi- 
tion. 1838. 

2. A New Translation of the Hebrew Prophets, ar- 
ranged in Chronological Order, with Notes, &c. In Three 
Volumes. Second Edition. 1843. 

3. A New Translation of the Book of Psalms, with an 
Introduction. 183L (This volume is now out of print.) 

March, 1846. 



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